Dark Gentleman
by Mrtyrant
Summary: Before his tragic murder. Jason Blossom had a best friend, who won't stop at nothing until he finds out who killed his best friend. [Complete AU]
1. Chapter 1

Prologue:

Dante Parker was not having a good year. His father and he moved to a small city called Riverdale. He was forced to start a new school which was not a pleasant experience, but he did manage to make one friend. A red haired boy named Jason Blossom. Right now he was waiting for Jason in Pop's Diner. He was sitting at his usual seat, the last seat one below the Diner sign, right now all he could do was wait while listening to the song 'ST4LK3R' on his earphones.

It didn't take long for his friend to finally arrive at the Diner. He was wearing the varsity jacket he usually wears. He looked around a bit to finally find Dante. It wasn't a very hard task, Dante always wore the color black and had a hood on his head which really made him easy to recognize.

"Hey." the hooded boy with dirty blond hair said.

"Hey, Dante." His red-haired friend said in return. Then he sat on the table, but Dante noticed that he looked a little tense.

"Are you Ok?" He asked. Dante couldn't help but notice that he looked tired.

"No, I'm not," Jason responded to his friend. "Ok. I'm leaving Riverdale."

"What the hell you mean?" Dante asked in confusion.

Jason then stayed quiet for bit. Dante could tell that something happened and Jason was worried about something.

"Polly is pregnant." That was all that Jason said.

"Oh shit." Dante knew that they were having problems because their parents were against their relationship. "What are you going to do?"

"Come walk with me," Jason said to him,tilting his head to the door.

The two friend stood up and made their way to the door. After walking outside, Jason pointed toward his car. Dante opened the door and entered into the passenger seat. Jason entered shortly after, starting the car and pulling out of the lot. The street was pretty empty with almost no car passing through them. The day was pretty cloudy but it didn't look like there was gonna be rain.

It's quiet until Dante breaks the silence. "Where are we going?"

"Nowhere, I just feel more comfortable here."

"Jason, what exactly are you planning?"

Jason sighs. "How long have we known each other?"

"A year, I guess." Dante met Jason the same month he started to study at River High School. "I was sitting alone in the football field with my guitar at night and you were there with Polly."

"You never told what were you doing in there."

"Waiting, I couldn't sleep and it was quiet out there." Dante answered. "Then you guys invited me to go to Pop's and somehow we were friends after that."

"Hey, you have to thank Polly for that. I thought you were a weirdo like Jughead Jones." Jason smirked. "But you turned out to be a cool guy."

"Hey, Jughead ain't so bad either. Do you know what happened to him?" Dante haven't seen him in a while

"From what I heard, his dad was fired from the Andrews Construction and started to drink a lot, so his mom took him and his sister to go live with their grandparents," Jason explained. "Speaking of which, aren't you a part-timer there?"

"Yeah, but It's only temporary. Mr. A is a good boss. Did you know his son?"

"Yeah, his name is Archie. He went to live with his mother in Chicago after his parents split up."

"I see.

A short but unfortunately silence started.

So what's your plan?" Dante decided to asked.

"Look, my sister is going to help so don't worry."

"Cmon Jason, there must be something you need my help with, otherwise you wouldn't have told me about it."

"Ok. I need to get my car to the other side of the Sweetwater River."

"Done, Just tell me when."

"Dante, man, you don't have to do that."

"I want to. You and Polly are literally my only friends, so I wanna help you guys escape."

"Thank you." Jason smiled. "Can ask you another favor?"

"Sure."

"Can you watch over my sister, while I'm gone?"

"Ummmm... I don't know. Your sister is not exactly easy to deal with." Dante grimaced. "Remember when you went to hang out with me instead of her?"

Once Jason wanted to go see a film with Dante instead of Cheryl and she became very angry and followed both of them to the Twilight Drive-In and tossed soda into Dante's head. Jason and her started a full blown argument with Cheryl yelling a lot. It really annoyed Dante because he couldn't listen to the film.

"Yeah I remember, Forget I said anything."

"Does anyone else know about your plan to run away. Besides me and your sister?" Dante asked.

"Well, besides you and Cheryl, no one. But Polly might tell her sister."

"Ok."

The two remained quiet for the rest of the ride.

Jason decided to drop Dante off at home. When the two finally arrived, Dante moved to get out, but he stopped when he had a sudden thought.

"Hey J?"

Jason turned to look at his friend. "Yeah?"

"Call me when it's time."

Jason nodded before saying, "I'll leave the car in school tomorrow, the keys will be in the glove compartment. I'll leave a map with the spot that I need the car to be."

"Got it," Dante affirmed. "I'm gonna miss you buddy."

"C'mon, this won't be the last time we see each other. I want you there when my son or daughter is born because you gonna be their godfather."

"It would be an honor."

"See you, buddy." Jason smiled before leaning over to hug Dante. They pulled back and Dante exited the car before shutting the door. "I'll contact you as soon as I can. Don't forget, it has to be tomorrow on July 4th."

"I got it, you can count on me," Dante said before turning around and walking toward his home.

Though Dante will look back at that day forever. The last day he saw Jason Blossom alive.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1: What did he say?

Today was the day that Dante has been dreading. The first day of school.

He was laying in his bed waiting for the time that he usually wakes up. Another sleepless night, it has been like that since Jason left. Apparently he and his sister Cheryl had an accident while the pair rowed a boat. She claimed she dropped her glove in the water and he tried to retrieve it for her, tipping the boat over in the process, thus drowning. Dante couldn't really complain since the plan served its purpose but he really thought that he could have come up with something better.

Finally the alarm clock started to beep and he left his bed. He left his bedroom right away and went straight to the bath room to take a shower. Then he went back to his room to get dressed.

Dante's room was pretty decorated, all in the color black with posters of bands and video games on the walls, a decent sized Tv with a few consoles on it, a small table with his laptop, sketch book and his camera on top, an electric guitar and amplifier beside the window and a boxing bag beside the wardrobe. Inside the wardrobe there were only black clothes. Dante only wore black, no matter the circumstance. But there was one thing there that wasn't black.

Jason's varsity jacket. When Dante arrived at the car that Jason needed him to park, he found the jacket and note in it. The note was a goodbye from Jason, telling him to keep it as a memento of him. Jason hasn't made any contact yet and Dante was starting to get nervous. He hung the jacket right above his Karate trophies.

Today for school Dante put on black jeans, black t-shirt, black high-top shoes and a black hoodie. Dante always preferred to be hooded. After he finished getting dressed he went to the mirror to check himself, his dirty blond hair in the side swept bangs haircut that he has since he was a kid and checked if there were any dark circles under his sea green eyes. Once he finished checking himself, he went downstairs to eat.

His usual breakfast was either toast and coffee or cereal. Today was cereal.

Dante's house was as generic as it could be with nothing really standing out on it. It was mainly his father's fault for that since he was always a practical person.

He finishes eating his breakfast, he picks up his backpack and skateboard. Then he made his way to the door.

* * *

Dante still hasn't got used to Riverdale, mostly because he lived in Detroit most of his life and he couldn't believe how small Riverdale was in comparison. And now things just got a bit harder since his only friends weren't around anymore. Right now he was passing through Polly's neighborhood. He's only been in Polly's house twice. But he manage to find out a bit about her family.

Her father is a little creepy, her mother is super judgmental and her sister is eager-to-please. Polly told him that Betty had a crush on her neighbor, Mr. Andrews's son Archie and that her eager-to-please attitude became worse after he left.

While on top of his skateboard, all he could think about was Polly. Was she okay? Did she and Jason manage to get where they were going? Were they going to contact him like they promised? That was all he could think about it while riding his skateboard to school.

* * *

The trip to school was just as unremarkable as the school itself. It looks exactly the same with no considerable difference. Dante knew that the days was not going to be very good. Though he is expecting to be at least OK.

While he walks down the hallway. He notices Betty Cooper walking beside some girl he never seen before. She's an olive-skinned, young Latina woman with straight, medium-length glossy jet-black hair, large expressive brown eyes, a slender yet voluptuous physique and long legs. She was definitely new here and Betty was probably showing the school to her. But Dante didn't really care that much, he just walked to his locker and put his skateboard inside.

"Hi Dante." Dante heard someone call him from the side. He moved his head and noticed that it was Ethel Muggs.

Besides Jason and Polly, Ethel was the only other person he's speaks to. But he really doesn't view her as a friend. "Hi Ethel."

"I'm sorry about Jason." Polly told Dante that she had a crush on him. But the feeling is a hundred percent not mutual. Personally he just wanted this talk to be over quick.

"I'll only believe that he's gone when they find his body." Dante said with a unemotional tone.

"His sister is going to do a eulogy to him at the school's assembly." Ethel informed him.

"Ah shit." Dante thought to himself.

* * *

Dante just learned two things. One, he's going to have a hard time avoiding Ethel without Jason and Polly around to help him. Two, Cheryl Blossom is a very shitty actress. He was sitting at the school assembly just listening to her talking. Saying that many of them were lucky enough to know Jason personally, and each and every one of them meant the world to him. How she loved her brother. And that he was and always will be her soulmate. Then she started with the confidence only a twin could have in saying that Jason wouldn't want them to spend the year mourning his death. He'd prefer if they moved on with their lives, which is why she had asked the school-board not to cancel the back-to-school semi-formal, but rather allow them to use it to collectively heal, and celebrate Jason's short life.

Dante was a bit disgusted by that. Cheryl should be playing the mourning sister to not draw any suspicion. But luckily it was over quick.

The rest of the day. Dante sat down on the football field. He always sat there to wait for Jason's practice. But now he had no idea why he was there.

"Some habits don't die." Dante said to himself as he sat there watching the other guys practice.

Dante was thinking about going to the back-to-school semi-formal or whatever it was called. Dante isn't exactly a party person but it was better than nothing. Besides if the party sucked, he could just go to Pop's and have a nice burger.

* * *

The short answer. The party sucked.

Right now Dante was watching Josie and the Pussycats play a song that Cheryl claims was playing when she and Jason were conceived. All he did was stand there, wearing a full black suit.

"Dante Parker." Dante heard a familiar voice call him from behind.

"Hello Cheryl." Not that Dante wanted to see her any more than he already did today. "It was a nice speech earlier." Dante was lying but it didn't matter.

"I'm so glad you like it." She spoke with a tone of sarcasm. "I'm going to throw an after party and you should come."

"Why?" Dante asked in confusion.

"Because Jason would like for you to try to make new friends." Cheryl said with a fake smile on her face and Dante wondered if Jason asked her to do that.

"I'll try to get there." Dante was not planning on going.

"I'm sure you will, I'll be waiting for you when the party is over."

"You gotta to be kidding me." Dante thought as he knew he would not be able to get away. But also he was asking himself why Cheryl wants him to go so much.

* * *

Cheryl kept her promise and waited for him outside with her friends. Dante still don't know why did she dragged him to the party. Right now he was sitting down with a bunch of people he barely knows in his best friend's house without his best friend. It was uncomfortable and annoying for him.

"We're going old school tonight. Seven Minutes in Heaven." Cheryl spoke and made Dante look at her. "Who wants to tryst in the closet of love first? My vote is "D" for Dante." That made Dante widen his eyes in surprise. "Anyone care to second it."

"Yes, Let's see what he's made of." Reggie said making Dante want to punch him.

"Oh shit." Dante thought as Cheryl starts to talk again

"Alright, gather around kids. Let's see who's riding the Dark Gentleman tonight." Dante really didn't like it when Cheryl calls him that.

Cheryl spins the bottle around the table and as the bottle stopped, it pointed at both Betty and the new girl.

"Oh ho ho No way." Reggie said making Dante even more frustrated.

"I guess it's a draw." Cheryl said with evil smile. "I guess it will have to one then the other."

The two girls stare at each other before the new girl stands up first. "Let's get this over with." She says to Dante.

Dante just stands up and follows her to the closet.

Three minutes have passed and the two just stand there as Dante looks around the closet.

"Why did she call you Dark Gentleman?" The girl asked Dante.

"Well when I hang out with my friend Polly, I used to do things like holding the door for her and stuff. So she said that I was a Gentleman and my best friend Jason said that I was a Dark Gentleman because I always wear black." Dante explained to her. "And sorry but I don't even know your name."

"Veronica Lodge." She said.

"Nice to meet you Veronica."

"This Jason was Cheryl's brother?" She asked.

"Yes. We were best friends." Still are but she can't know that.

"I'm sorry then."

"Let's not talk about it. Where you from?" Dante asked.

"New York."

"I used to live in Detroit before living here."

"Have you gotten used to it here yet?"

"Not really, much less now that my friends aren't here."

"Must be tough." Veronica said. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"This girl Polly, she was just a friend?"

"I'm not going to lie, I did feel something for her." Dante used to have a secret crush on Polly but he let go because he didn't want to ruin his friendship with Jason or Polly. "But she was my best friend's girlfriend and I really didn't want to ruin my friendship with either of them." But Dante still thinks about it sometimes.

"Did you ever felt it again, with any other girl?" Veronica asked.

"No." Dante answered as he stare it at her brown eyes. "Did you ever felt it with anyone?"

"Maybe once." She answered while staring at his green eyes. "A nice pair of eyes and a pretty face is a dangerous combination." She joked.

Dante step closer to her. "You think I have a pretty face?"

"I met a lot a guys with pretty faces, Though none of them was a Dark Gentleman." She said.

The two stare at each other's eyes for a bit. Until Dante leaned forward and pressed his lips into hers. They just stood there kissing for what it felt like an eternity or at least until they heard a knock on the door. "Time's up" They heard Cheryl's annoying voice on the other side of the door.

"I guess it's Betty's turn." Veronica said as he walks towards door but before she opens it, she turns her face and smiles at him.

Betty entered the closet a few seconds after and the two stayed quiet for what felt like four minutes. Dante just wanted this to be over with so he could speak with Veronica.

"At least Polly won't worry anymore." She finally spoke up.

"What?" Dante asked in confusion.

"There's lipstick on your face." Dante touched his lips and noticed the lipstick. "Polly once talked about helping you getting a girlfriend."

Dante couldn't complain, he knew she and Jason felt bad about him being the third wheel when they hang out.

"Well, I still don't know yet but..." Dante tried to find the right words to use.

"She'll be much relaxed when she comes back."

"Comes back?" Dante asked in confusion. He though they weren't planning on coming back.

"Oh right. She had mental breakdown, and she had to move to a group home. My parents blame Jason but It was my mother's fault." Betty said but Dante just made a confused expression.

"Cooper? When did she go to this group home?"

"Fourth of July."

With that, Dante walked out of the closet in a hurry.

"Hey the seven minutes didn't pass." Cheryl said.

"Bite me Cheryl."

Dante quickly walked outside of the house and ran as fast as he could.

* * *

Dante ran and ran while asking himself what was going on. Polly went to a group home on the Fourth of July but she and Jason were supposed to run away that day. Right now, Dante was running to the location where he left the car in order to see if it's still there. There's no way he left without Polly but if she was sent to a group home by her parents then she didn't leave with him.

After a long run he finally arrived at the spot. And all he could do was watch in horror.

"Oh no no no no. It's still here!?" Dante said out loud when he saw the car exactly the way he left it. Meaning that Jason never took it. "Jason where the hell are you?." That was all he could say.

Unfortunately for him. He got his answer the next day.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2: You and I must make a pact  


Jason Blossom is dead.

Dante froze into place when he heard. He pierced the skin of his hand with his nails when he closed into a tight fist when he saw the police taking his body out of the river. Then he puked when he got home.

But the worse part of it all.

Someone killed his best friend.

That was all that Dante was thinking while he lay on his bed motionless with his eyes wide open. Sleeping wasn't going to happen, all that Dante could do was ask a lot of questions.

Who killed Jason and why?

Where is Polly?

How the hell is he supposed to go to school today?

Those were all questions in Dante's head.

Unfortunately for him, his alarm started to beep. He got up from his bed and just wore the first thing he saw. A black t-shirt, black punk zip-pants and black hiking boots. He went downstairs and drank a cup of coffee before leaving his house. Dante decided to walk to school today, so it would take longer to him to get there.

* * *

As Dante was passing through Polly's neighborhood like he always does, he tried to walk as fast as he could so he wouldn't go bashing into the Cooper's house and force someone to tell him where Polly was. He was sure that the 'group home' was a lie but he didn't know if it was a lie from Betty or her parents.

He was trying to think of how he could find out where exactly they sent Polly to. While thinking about Polly, Dante felt sad about the baby. A fatherless baby now, he or she deserved better. Jason deserved better.

"Hello Dante." Dante heard someone greet him. Dante moved his head to the side and notices that It's Fred Andrews.

"Good Morning Mr. A ." Dante greeted him back.

"Heading to school?"

"Yeah"

"Wanna ride, I'm going that way." He offered to him.

"Ummm. Sure."

* * *

Dante decided to accept the ride. Mostly because he was thinking too much on the matter at hand and it was better if he just got into the school quickly.

"I heard about what happened to your friend." Mr. Andrews decided to start a conversation.

"I, ummm" Dante didn't know what to say. "I just can't believe he's gone, and that someone murdered him."

"Yeah, I can't believe it myself to be honest." Mr. Andrews remarked.

"The worst part is that hi-" Dante stopped himself from mentioning the baby. "His sister Cheryl will probably freak out today."

"It will be hard for some time but things will get better." He's speaking as someone who knows what he's talking about, which is why he listens to him.

"I hope you're right." Dante could only hope.

Unfortunately for Dante, they arrived. He grabbed his back and stepped out of the car.

"Thank you Mr. Andrews."

"No problem."

He then drove off.

* * *

This was going to be harder than he expected. First thing that he hears in the morning is a school-wide message that Cheryl would not rest until Jason's death was avenged.

Dante only had one thing to say while she spoke.

"Get in line Barbie."

First class of the day was biology, Dante was thinking about ditching but he wasn't really in the mood to do anything else. He walked down the corridor before which unfortunately he bumped into Reggie Mantle.

"Watch where you're going Parker." Reggie told him.

Dante just stood there motionless for a few seconds, before moving past him. But while he moved Reggie put his hand on Dante's shoulder.

"Hey weirdo, I'm talking to you."

Dante lost his patience and threw a hammer fist to Reggie's crotch which made him fall onto his knees. Dante ignored his murmurs of pain and kept walking towards class.

* * *

The moment Dante entered class, he ignored everyone around him and went to sit on the first available table in the room.

The teacher quickly came in and told everyone to get a partner. But to Dante's surprise, Cheryl Blossom sat beside him.

"What exactly are you doing?" Dante spoke with a low voice so only she would hear.

"Where did you go after you left the party?" She asked.

"That's none of your business." He could tell her, but he doesn't want to.

"Why the secrecy? Got something to hide?" Cheryl was now talking with a very accusing tone.

"Oh I don't know, what exactly happened in the river?" Dante was just joking but he didn't want to give her any leverage.

"Jason and I fell into the water. I made it to the shore, he didn't." She spoke in defence.

Dante on the other hand was confused. Jason didn't tell his sister about Dante being a part of the plan? Or she was just joking with him?

"Is that really all?" Dante asked in complete confusion.

"Yes." Dante know that she was lying but she looked completely dedicated in keeping the lie.

However their talk was interrupted by the teacher starting the lesson.

* * *

The exact moment that class ended.

Dante left without talking to Cheryl.

He just wondered around the corridor trying to understand something. Why didn't Jason tell his sister that he was helping him or did he even told her about Polly? After a short walk, he went outside for lunch.

He sat at an empty table eating the usual food served there.

But only a minute after he started to eat, he was approached by Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge and Kevin Keller.

"Can we sit here?" Veronica asked.

Dante only nodded his head.

They sat down and kept talking about Kevin's case of liking a guy who didn't like him, he's in the closet. Dante was not interested in this topic. But he couldn't help but stare at Veronica a bit. The only thing that is on his head besides Jason's death, is the kiss that the two shared before that tragedy. Veronica notices that he's staring at her and smiles a bit.

Dante smiles back.

Unfortunately, they're interrupted. Reggie shows up out of nowhere and grabbed Dante by his shirt and tossed him into the floor.

"Think you're tough weirdo, think again!" Reggie says as he kicks Dante three times on the stomach while he's on the floor.

Kevin, Betty and Veronica quickly stood up to help him. But the moment Reggie tries to kick him again, Dante grabbed his foot and kicked him in the knee, making him fall on the ground. The two of them quickly stood up, Kevin stood in front of Reggie while Veronica and Betty stood in front of Dante.

"He's not worth it." Veronica tells him.

Dante stops but Kevin had to keep pushing Reggie back.

"You're dead, Parker!" Reggie threatened.

Dante just stood there staring at him with his green eyes while Kevin kept pushing him back. He noticed that several people were watching them. Reggie kept pushing until someone appeared behind him.

"Mantle! What do you think you're doing." It was Coach Clayton.

Reggie quickly stopped and turned around. "Coach I..."

Coach Clayton grabbed him by the jacket and pulled him "Come on." He pulled him to follow him. "You too Parker."

"Wait… Reggie started it." Betty quickly spoke.

"I don't care who started it."

Betty was about to argue, but Dante just put his hand on her shoulder and shakes his head. It's no use to argue and he knows it.

He grabbed his bag and followed the Coach.

* * *

Coach Clayton took the two to his office. Which was weird to Dante since he wasn't a member of the Bulldogs. He did go to their games but it was because Jason was co-captain. He was now sitting there beside Reggie wondering what was going to happen. Coach Clayton just sits down on the other side of the table and starts to lecture the two of them in a very cliché way, he didn't warn the principal but Dante still doesn't understand why he dragged Dante there.

"Parker, you can go now." He says to Reggie. "Mantle, you stay a little more."

Dante just stood up and left the room, passing through the empty locker room and walking to the corridor. While he walked he noticed the cheerleader practice where he noticed Betty and Veronica. Dante would at time watch the cheerleader practice when Polly was a member. It was really awkward without her, but he was paying more attention to Veronica's performance but Betty was doing a good job as well. The practice ended unfortunately with Cheryl bitching about something but Dante couldn't hear from where he was. After she finished however, Betty noticed him. She taps Veronica's shoulder and points at him. The two waved at him and came closer.

"Hey, was everything alright with the Coach?" Veronica asked.

"Yeah, just a cliché lecture." Dante responded. "It was a nice performance."

"Thanks." Betty spoke.

"Could you wait up a bit, we're just gonna change clothes." Veronica said.

"Ok."

* * *

Dante waited a bit until Betty and Veronica came back wearing their normal clothes. The three then walked home together, Dante's home is the same way as Betty's so it made sense. The three walked without speaking much. Dante usually was the third wheel in conversations, so he never really started them.

"I saw that Mr. Andrews drove you to school today." Betty finally broke the silence which Dante didn't know if it was good or bad.

"Yeah, I worked part time there in the summer." Dante answered. He needed extra cash to buy stuff. "Did you know his son?" Dante decided to ask.

"Umm..." Betty paused a bit. "Yeah, we were friends."

Dante felt a urge to slap his forehead, he shouldn't have asked that. He knows that she had a crush on him, Polly told him about it.

"Just friends?" Veronica decided to ask.

"Yeah." Betty said with an almost dead tone.

"What happened to him?" Veronica asked.

"He went to live with his mom in Chicago after his parents split up." Betty spoke with a sad face.

Veronica noticed Betty's sadness and decided to lighten her up a bit.

"Hey, let's not talk about it anymore okay." Veronica comforted her. "Let's talk about something else."

"Like what?" Betty curiously asks.

"Like... Why Dante only wears black?"

The girls looked at him in wonder.

"I actually wanna know too." Betty said.

"Umm..." Dante was trying to find something to say. "We're here."

They look and notice that they arrived at Betty's home.

"See you girls tomorrow."

"You aren't going to the Pep Rally?" Betty asked.

"Ummm..." Dante tried to find the right words.

"Come on, you have to go." Veronica spoke. "You won't be able to see our performance if you don't."

"Ummm..." He was trying to come up with a good excuse but he couldn't find any. "I'll... be there."

"Great, see you tonight then." Veronica said with a smile.

Betty and Veronica went inside the Cooper's home and Dante kept walking home.

* * *

Dante was now laying on his bed listening to music while waiting for the time to leave for the Pep Rally.

He was bored. All he could do was focus on the song, **Miss Jackson by Panic! At the Disco**.

He really didn't want to go, but he does wanna see Veronica's performance. He really wanted to know if there was something going on between them after that kiss in the party.

"Alright, that's enough." Dante said to himself.

He stood up from the bed and went to his closet to change his clothes. Generic black jeans, a button up black shirt, a black rain jacket and black low tops. Not his best outfit but this was not exactly a special occasion.

The moment he finished getting dressed. His phone started to beep, meaning that it was time to go. He grabs his skateboard and leaves the house soon after.

* * *

He arrived sooner than he should and stood there in a secluded area of the audience. When everyone was getting ready, Betty noticed him and approached him to talk.

"You came." Betty said.

"I told you I'll be here." Dante spoke in return. "Umm... Thank you for earlier, with Reggie."

"It was nothing, he was being a jerk."

"He's always a jerk." Dante always heard things about him from Jason. "Hey, umm... Do you... Know where Polly is?"

Dante really needed to know if she was okay. But he really needed to confirm something first.

"My parents didn't tell me where she went, all I know is that she was is group-home."

"But is this place adequate for her condition?"

"What condition?"

She doesn't know, that's what Dante wanted to confirm.

Dante didn't answer Betty.

"Dante?"

Dante just turned around and tried to leave but she quickly cornered him.

"Dante!? What condition?" Betty screamed.

"Betty. It's time." One of the cheerleaders called Betty.

"We'll talk later." Betty made it clear.

* * *

A few minutes later, their performance started.

Josie and the Pussycats started to sing a song called Sugar, Sugar. Dante actually liked the song. But his attention was mostly on Veronica. She was doing great, but Dante also noticed Betty was staring at him the whole time. Dante didn't know how the hell he was going to tell anything to Betty or if he could trust her.

After the performance was over, much to Dante's displeasure, Coach Clayton announced the bulldogs.

The moment they enter, Dante had a urge to scream. He saw Jason in the front like he did last year, out of nowhere the memories of him pass through Dante's mind. Part of him was still hoping that all of this was a nightmare but he knows that it isn't, his friend is gone and there's nothing he can do to bring him back.

But then he notices Cheryl racing off the stage crying. She probably felt the same way as him.

"**Can you watch over my sister, while I'm gone?**" Jason's voice echoed through Dante's mind.

He decided to follow Cheryl.

* * *

He followed her into the Locker room where he found her crying.

He slowly approaches her. But she notices him and turns around.

"What do you want Parker?" She said between sobs.

"Just seeing how you were doing."

"You don't care." Cheryl now spoke with a hostile tone.

"If I didn't care, I wouldn't have come here."

She bursts into tears without caring anymore.

"I know how you feel." Dante tried to speak. "The moment they entered, it was like Jason was in the front like he was supposed to be."

She turns her face around to look at him.

"Part of me was still hoping that this is all a nightmare." Dante was speaking and Cheryl was paying full attention. "But I know it isn't, my best friend is gone and there's nothing I can do to bring him back."

Cheryl cries a bit more and between sobs she said. "He was supposed to come back."

"But he didn't." Dante complete.

He approached and kneeled down in front of her. He put his hands on her cheeks and wiped the tears with his thumbs. "I was part of plan." Dante told her. She was now completely focused on him. They were staring at each other's eyes. "I left a car for him, in the other side of the river." He explained to her. "But yesterday, I went to check the car and it was still on the same place I left." Cheryl's eyes widened at the revelation. "He never made it to the car, someone must have taken him after you two separated."

The moment was done with the explanation. He heard someone on the door. It was Veronica.

"Hi..." Veronica was confused at the situation.

"Hi..." Dante spoke in return. "I was just... telling her that..."

"That my brother wouldn't want me crying." Cheryl finished as she wiped the rest of the tears from her eyes. "Thank you Dante." She quickly returned to that fake smile of hers. "I need to go back." She said as she stood up and leaves the locker room.

Dante and Veronica were now alone.

"It was really nice of you." Veronica spoke. "Going after her."

"Yeah, Jason wouldn't want her crying." Jason really loved his sister.

"You know, Jason was lucky." Veronica approached him. "To have someone like you as his friend."

Dante smiled at her, but he really wanted to know something.

"We... Never talked about..."

"The kiss?"

"Yeah. Is there something going on between you and me or..."

"I don't know yet." She says with the same smile. "Do you want something to happen?"

"Well... well... I Ummm..." Veronica puts a finger in Dante's lips.

"Let's just go back before someone comes looking for us."

* * *

The two went back to the Football field for the rest of the Pep Rally. After it was finished, Veronica asked Dante if he wanted to go to Pop's with her. Dante quickly accepted. But when the two were about to leave, Betty showed up. Probably looking for answers from Dante. Veronica ended up inviting Betty too much to Dante's frustration.

The three quickly got there and sat at a table. But it was really uncomfortable for Dante because Betty kept staring at him, no doubt waiting for an opportunity to get some answers. Luckily for him, Veronica didn't leave to go to the bathroom or anything which delayed Betty's search for answers. This was not going the way Dante wanted but it wasn't bad either.

Veronica told him a bit about herself which Dante was glad to hear it. Even Betty talked a bit, which Dante didn't mind at all. Dante was a bit lonely because he hardly speaks to anyone since Jason left... died.

Unfortunately it was getting late and they had to go home. But before they left. Dante pulled Betty close and said. "I'll come by your house tomorrow."

Betty stared at him a bit and responded. "Okay."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3: Can't hear me scream from the abyss

Dante actually managed to sleep nicely, which is surprising. But he did wake up earlier than he needed to.

He was sitting on his bed and analysing the situation. He was trying to understand some things.

Why didn't Jason tell Cheryl about his involvement?

If Betty doesn't know that Polly is pregnant, does it mean that her parents don't know as well? And can he trust Betty with the information?

Was there something that Jason was not telling him? He hid things from his sister, so he could have hidden things from him as well.

Dante had new questions every day and very few answers.

**RING, RING, RING.**

The phone started to ring. Which was strange, it was eight o'clock in the morning. Dante stood up and walked downstairs, he picked up the phone and answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey Son."

"Dad?"

"Sorry, I know it's earlier but it's the only free time I got today."

"No it's fine, I wasn't sleeping."

"How's everything?"

"Not very good."

"Something happened?"

Dante paused a bit. "Jason died."

"What?!"

"Someone shot him."

"Jesus Christ."

"They're investigating."

"I'm sorry Dante."

Dante paused a bit. "I…. Met someone." He decided to change the subject. "A girl."

"Oh Really?"

"It's. …. Nothing serious yet but I think she likes me."

"That's great-" There was a small pause. "I have to go now."

"When are you coming back?"

"I don't know , sorry son."

"Okay, bye Dad."

"Bye Dante." He hang up the phone.

Dante's father is a member of the Marine Corps. He left two days before school started. Dante doesn't really know where he's at or what he's doing.

* * *

He waited a few more hours before leaving to go to Betty's house. He had some toast and coffee. Afterwards he put on a Black Henley shirt, black chinos, and black chukka boots. He left his house soon after. He left his skateboard at home today and decided to walk again, mostly because he wanted to delay the talk as much as he could. He still didn't know if he could trust Betty, not that there was anything wrong with her. It was her parents that he was worried about. While Dante walked towards their neighborhood, a small thought came to his head. What if they found out about Polly running away with Jason and sent her to this group-home in order to stop her? If that was the case, Dante needed to figure out where this group-home was and fast.

Dante arrived at the Cooper's home and waited a bit, he wasn't going to knock. It was better to wait for Betty, not that he was looking forward to the conversation that the two were about to have.

He waited for a minute until Betty saw him through the window. She signals him to wait a bit. After a few more minutes, she comes out. Dante starts to walk to the direction of the school and Betty chases him to catch up.

He and Betty walked in silence for a few minutes. Dante was waiting for her to say something.

"Are you ready to tell me now?" Betty asked.

"Tell you what?" Dante wasn't in the mood to speak to be honest.

"Really?! You gonna do this now?" Betty was angry now.

"I just don't know if I can trust you." Dante said.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"What exactly happened to Polly?" Dante asked.

"I told you what happened."

"Did you see it happen?"

Betty stayed quiet for a bit. "Look, I know Jason was your friend but he really hurt Polly." She told him. "After the two broke up-

"God, I thought you were smart." Dante snapped at her. "They never broke up, you moron."

Betty's eyes widened at what he said. "What do you mean?"

"You're parents and Jason's kept trying to get between them, so Polly and Jason pretended that they had broken up to get them off their backs." Dante explained. "Seriously, do you have any idea how many times Polly had to lie to your parents because they wouldn't let her leave otherwise?"

"I..." Betty stayed quiet. "Had no idea."

Dante now didn't know what to tell her. But he really needed help and Betty was the only one that could give it to him. "She and Jason were going to run away together." Dante decided to reveal it.

"What!?"

"Jason planned to run away with Polly. The entire story of him falling from the boat with Cheryl was just a lie to trick everyone into believing that he drowned." Dante explained to her. "He was supposed to make it into the other side and pick up a car, Polly was supposed to meet him and the two would leave together, I left the car there for them." Dante just explained everything and Betty listened to it closely. "But, when you told me about Polly being put in a group home, I went to check the car and I saw that it was in the same spot I left." Dante finished his explanation. "Whoever killed Jason, must have done it before he reached the car."

Betty stayed quiet for a bit, probably processing everything she just heard. She breathes deeply. "I'll find out where Polly is." She assures him. "But what was the condition you were talking about?"

Dante paused a bit. He was trying to decide if it was a good idea to tell her. She's her sister after all, but what if Betty tells her parents and they sent Polly to a different place with no possibility for him to track her down this time. "If you don't know." Dante really didn't like doing that. "Find out where she is first, then I'll tell you."

"Are you serious?!" She was angry.

"I don't trust you Betty, you might be Polly's sister but I don't know you."

Their conversation finally met it's end when the two arrived at school. Dante walked fast leaving Betty behind.

* * *

Dante was definitely not in the mood for class. Well, actually he was never in mood for it anyway. Dante is a B grade student, he could get A's if he wanted but he doesn't really care. Now he was sitting down in class just waiting for it to be over. Not that he had anything else better to do.

He was currently just thinking about what to do after school today. Maybe he can get one of his father's guns and do some Target Shooting. Maybe he can invite Doiley too. Dante was a not a friend of Dilton Doiley but the two would go target shooting together at times, Dante even gave him some tips. At first Dante didn't really want him to come along but Dilton and him made a deal that he would bring the ammo for the guns. Apparently Dilton knows someone on the Southside that gives him a discount in ammunition. Dante didn't really wanna take his father's ammo, because he would notice that Dante was taking them. Besides the company was somewhat good, and Dilton was a nerd when it came to fire weapons.

While Dante was listening to the boring lesson that the teacher was giving as usual, Sheriff Keller and Principal Weatherbee entered the classroom and Cheryl stands up and says that they'd find out soon enough that she's guilty. She's stands up and follows the Sheriff and the Principal.

"What the hell?" That was all that Dante could say.

* * *

Dante quickly made his way to the principal's office to see what was going on. What exactly does Cheryl mean by being guilty? He knows that she didn't killed Jason so what the hell does she mean by that?

Dante didn't waste any time before going to the Principal's office. Dante stayed by the door to try to listen to the conversation that was going on inside. It was difficult due to the people in the hallway but he was able to listen to parts of it. Apparently Cheryl was confessing about helping Jason escape. Now Sheriff Keller was confronting her about the gun shot.

Dante remember hearing a gunshot that day while he was leaving the woods. He also remembers it being a riffle. And Dante also knows someone that owns a riffle. He quickly banishes it when the accusation becomes too drastic.

"Mr. Parker whatever it is, this isn't the time." Principal Weatherbee spoke.

"Actually it is, sir." Dante reply. "I was part of the plan to help Jason escape, and I happen to know who shot the gun you just mentioned."

Principal Weatherbee and Cheryl both widen their eyes at the revelation.

Sheriff Keller quickly stood from the table that he was leaning on. "Dante if you know who fired the gun shot, you must tell me."

Dante breathes deeply before saying. "It was a shot from a riffle, and Dilton Doiley has one."

"And how do you know it was a riffle?" Sheriff Keller asked me.

"I been shooting guns with my dad, ever since I was ten." Dante explained. "Believe me, I know what a riffle sounds like."

Before anyone could say anything else. Cheryl's parents, Clifford, and Penelope, interrupt the interrogation, angrily asking Cheryl why she didn't call them and telling her not to say anything else as they take her away. But before she walks through the door, she looks at Dante.

"Dante." Sheriff Keller calls him. "I'm gonna need you to come with me."

"Am I being arrested?" Dante asked. His face was neutral and calm.

"No, but I need you to answer a few questions." Sheriff Keller explained.

* * *

Whatever problem Cheryl would have had just got transferred to Dante. All the eyes were on her when she went to the Principal's office, but now they were all on Dante when they saw the Sheriff taking him away and putting him on his car. Not that Dante cared but it was still inconvenient. He was now sitting in the Sheriff's car and waiting to see where he was taking him.

The car finally pulls over and Dante is somewhat confused. They weren't in the police station, it was Sheriff Keller's home.

"Why are we here?" Dante asked in confusion.

"Because I would rather that this talk was private." Sheriff Keller replied.

The two quickly got out of the car and entered the house. The Keller's house is somewhat similar to Dante's with a few exception like colors and furniture. Sheriff Keller signalled him to follow him to his office. When the two got there he told Dante to sit down and he obeyed.

"Alright Dante. I'm just gonna ask this once." Sheriff Keller didn't really changed his tone or anything in particular. "Did you had anything to do with Jason Blossom's death?"

Dante just shakes his head. "He wanted to run away, so I helped him." Dante explained. "I don't really know why would someone kill him."

The Sheriff breathes deeply. "Jason Blossom didn't die on the 4th of July, Jason's death was around July 11th." The sheriff explained to him and Dante was shocked by the revelation. "Someone held him captive and them froze him."

"Why are you telling me this?" Dante asked in confusion.

"Because you might wanna try to get involved and I really would prefer that you'll stay out of it, especially considering that you're father isn't around to stop you from doing something foolish." Sheriff Keller explained.

"What do you know about my father?" Dante asked.

"You're father used to live in Riverdale, Dante. " He told Dante. "We actually went to school together."

"Wh-What?" Dante was confused, he didn't know that his father used to live here. Though it would explain why he picked this town in particular to move to.

"Virgil and I were actually close friends. So I'm asking you to stay out of this and let the police solve it." The Sheriff told him.

Dante's father's name is Virgil Parker. He and Dante are very similar in appearance with a few differences. Virgil has light blond hair and his eyes are emerald green. He's also broader and taller than Dante.

Dante just stayed quiet. He wasn't really aware that his father used to live here. And to be fair, he never really asked why his father chose to move to Riverdale. "I'll stay out of it." He was lying.

"Good." That was all he said. "Would you like some coffee?"

"Yes please."

* * *

Dante stayed at the Sheriff's house for a few more hours. He told him stories about his father. Apparently his Dante's father was member of the Riverdale Wrestlers. He was unbeatable in the ring. He was also always in bad terms with another student, FP Jones. Saying that the two despised each other for some reason. He also said that Virgil was a ladies man, leaving a trail of broken hearts behind him. They talked until it was dark. Sheriff Keller offered a ride but Dante said that he would just walk. His home wasn't far, he got there pretty quickly.

The first thing Dante did when he got there was take off his clothes and start to work out a bit in his underwear. Dante was not an athlete but he was physically fit. He's a black belt in Karate but he haven't practiced since he came to Riverdale.

His workout is simple. A few push ups and pull ups, then he practices a bit on his boxing bag, then he does some karate Kata. After he finished, he had a shower and microwaved some mac and cheese.

He went to sleep soon after.

* * *

The next day came in a blink of an eye. Dante just woke up, eat breakfast, and put on the same outfit he wore yesterday and went to school. Today he rode his skateboard to school today. He got there quickly because of that. But the moment he entered, he noticed a few stares from the other students.

"Screw them." Dante said to himself as he walked through the corridors. Out of nowhere, Dante's cell phone vibrates. He picks it up from his pocket and checks on it. It was Betty Cooper.

**Betty: Meet me in the Blue & Gold office.**

**Dante: Why? and how the hell did you got my number?**

**Betty: Just come please.**

Dante didn't really know what she wanted, but may she has some new information about Polly. So he decided to meet her.

* * *

"What do you want Betty?" Dante asked as he enters the office.

Betty breathes deeply. "I need your help."

"With what?" Dante asked.

"I tried to ask mother and father where Polly was an-"

"You didn't tell them anything I told you right?" Dante interrupts her.

"No I didn't but they refused to tell me where she was and said that she'll only come back when she's better." Betty explained.

"I don't think I feel much comfort with whatever your parents mean by better." Dante replied. "If they won't tell us, we'll have to find out ourselves."

"Dante... Can you please tell me what condition she's in." Betty was now begging him for an answer.

"I'm pretty sure your parents know what it is and I'm afraid of what they might do if they know I know it." Dante dodged the question.

Betty rolled her eyes a bit. "You think my parents are going to kill or something?" She asked in a more sarcastic mater.

"No, they could sent Polly to a different place that would be even harder for us to find." Dante explained.

"You think that she's nearby then?" Betty asked.

"They needed to send her to a place where they could keep an eye on her." Dante explained. "So she is definitely still in Riverdale or somewhere close to the town." He came to that conclusion.

"Dante, If you want my help you're gonna have to tell me her condition is." Betty confronted him one more time.

Dante closes his eyes and breathes deeply. "Betty Cooper...you're going be an aunt."

Betty's eyes widen and her mount open at the revelation. "Wait... Po... Polly is pregnant?"

Dante nods his head. "That's the reason to why they wanted to run away." Dante explained. "Jason told me a day before fourth of July."

Betty stays quiet and goes to chair to sit down. She processing everything she just heard. "I... I can't believe this." Betty spoke out loud.

He just approached her and spoke. "That's why I need your help." Dante started to explain. "I don't know what is going on or why, I just know that my best friend is dead and my other best friend is pregnant and missing and I really need you to help me find her."

Betty just looks at his face. "I'll find her." She spoke with a deep determination in her voice.

The bell for the next class finally rings. The two look at each other one last time before walking to the door.

* * *

The classes were as unremarkable as hell. Besides his talk to Betty the day was pretty unremarkable. He didn't even see Veronica that day which is a pretty bad thing in Dante's book. The rest of the day was composed by him spending his day at home doing absolutely nothing.

He did a few things. He played some old games in the consoles he got at home. His consoles were all **Xbox**, he spent the rest of the day playing the game** Jade Empire** on his original Xbox.

Dante was hoping that Betty would manage to discover something about his sister. He'll have to wait and see.

* * *

The next day came quickly. Dante fell asleep while playing the game, he quickly woke up and took a shower. After he put on the same pants and boots from yesterday but changed his black Henley shirt to a black sweatshirt, Dante left home and made his way to school.

While walking through the corridor, he noticed Kevin, Betty and Veronica talking beside the lockers. He approaches slowly until he's noticed by them.

"Hi Dante." Betty greeted him.

"Hey." Dante said in return. "How are you guys?"

"Well, Veronica was telling us about her date with Chuck Clayton." Kevin said.

Dante was surprised and annoyed by that.

"It wasn't a date." Veronica was quick to deny. "I just bumped into him at Pop's and he gave me a ride home."

Dante was instantly relived by hearing that. Not that he was jealous but, if he had a list of people he disliked in Riverdale, Chuck Clayton is in the top of the list. He thinks that Chuck is an arrogant asshole who views himself as above everyone else.

"But how was it?" Kevin asked.

Veronica laughs a bit. "Chuck has muscles for days, but his conversation is not the stuff of Oscar Wilde, or even Diablo Cody."

Dante laughs a bit at that.

"Hey, Veronica. How was the Sticky Maple you had last night?" A girl passing through said to Veronica.

"The what now?" Veronica asked in confusion.

"The Sticky Maple Chuck gave you?" The other girl beside her said. "How was it?"

"We had a brownie sundae, if that's what you hyenas mean." Veronica answers it.

Dante just stood there, hoping that he misheard what the girls just said.

Kevin's phone beeps. He takes it out his pocket and checks it out. "Oh, my God."

"What?" Veronica asked as she took the phone out of Kevin's hand.

Dante moves his head to see what was on the phone. It was a photo of Veronica and Chuck, but Veronica's face was covered in syrup.

"What the hell is a Sticky Maple." Veronica asked in frustration.

"Son of a…" Dante said. "It's basically slut-shaming in the lamest way possible."

Polly once told Dante, that Sticky Maple it's exactly what it sounds like. That it's a Riverdale slut-shaming stuff that some guys do to girls. Dante found the entire concept both disgusting and lame.

"I'm neither a slut, nor am it going to be shamed by someone named, excuse me, Chuck Clayton." Veronica assured them.

She starts to complain and said that she's not gonna let him get away with this. Betty tries to suggest that they go to the Principal but Veronica rebuffed by pointing out that he's the coach's son and the captain of the football team. Then she suggest to expose him in the Blue and Gold.

"No. Spoken like a true good girl who always follows the rules." Veronica spoke. "Well, I don't follow rules, I make them, and when necessary, I break them." She said before pushing the phone into Kevin's hand and storming off.

Betty follows her. Dante takes a quick look at Kevin.

"You better go too." Kevin said

* * *

Dante breathes deeply and started to follow them.

Dante tried to catch up with them as the two were entering the locker room. As they enter, Dante runs a bit before getting inside too. He enters and noticed several guys from the football team. He was bit annoyed because watching a bunch of naked douchebags was not on his list of things that he wanted to do today. He finally spots Veronica and Betty, with Veronica confronting a shirtless Chuck who had a disgusting smug look on his face.

He gets a bit close and hears both Veronica and Betty saying a bunch of things to him. Chuck and the rest of his douchebag friends just stayed there with amused look on their faces. Dante just stood there being very annoyed by his disgusting arrogance. Calling it "badge of honor."

Dante decided to interrupt because this was a waste of time. He puts his hand in Veronica's shoulder. "You're wasting your time." Dante says to her.

"Oh hey, Parker, so you found a new owner to replace Jason." Chuck said with the smug on his face.

"Shut the fuck up Chuck, we both know that you're all bark and no bite." Dante stare at him with a very dark look.

Chuck just chuckles. "This scary emo shit you do might have worked in Detroit but you're on bulldogs' territory now." Moose barks like a dog in Dante's face. "So please fight back."

"Cool, should I beat you up here or do you want me to do it somewhere where your admires here can't see?" Dante quickly rebuffed while staring at Chuck in the eyes. "Oh and do you bark like that when you're with Kevin, Moose?" Dante said to Moose who quickly stepped back after some of the guys started to stare at him, including Chuck.

Chuck than returned his gaze to Dante. "Oh so Mr... what's that thing that Jason used to call you?... Dark Emo, Dark weirdo, oh right Dark Gentleman." Chuck started to mock Dante. "So Mr. Dark Gentleman wants to play white knight? If you want to get beat up for a New York girl with a bitch attitude, then be my guest."

"Wait, what are yo-" Veronica tried to speak but she was quickly interrupted.

"Whoever here wants to see me beat the shit out of Parker, be at the Twilight Drive-In at seven!" Chuck announced to anyone that could hear it. "Tonight." He spoke to Dante directly.

The rest of the guys started to cheer for Chuck, while Veronica and Betty exchanged worried looks.

The Twilight Drive-In is a local drive-in movie theatre in Riverdale. It's closed today so no one will be there.

"Fine." That was all that Dante said.

"Wait, you two just can'-" Betty tried to argue but Chuck just walked away from them but not before saying something at Dante's ear.

"Hope the bitch is worth it." He said low enough so only Dante could hear it. Dante closed his hand into a tight fist because of that.

Dante then started to walk out of the locker room with Veronica and Betty following behind him.

"You're not really going to fight him are you?" Betty asked.

Dante just stayed quiet and kept walking.

"Look, as much as I think that it was pretty sweet, I don't need you to defend me." Veronica spoke as well.

But Dante just kept ignoring them and kept on walking. Veronica just walked faster and stood in front of him.

"Don't ignore me!" She said to him in anger me.

The bell then started to ring.

"I have to go to class." He said in a low voice and walked passed Veronica.

* * *

Dante sat in class, not exactly paying attention. He was mostly thinking on why he acted so impulsively with Chuck. Was it because of Veronica or was it because he insulted him and Jason? Was it because he hated Chuck for being an arrogant douchebag who thinks that he's hot shit. Maybe it was all of that. He promised his Dad that he wouldn't get into fights anymore, he's going to have to apologize to him after he comes back.

"Psst. Dante." Dante heard someone whispering at him. He turns around and it's Cheryl. "Thanks to you, Dante, I'm not the Girl Who Cried Gunshot." Dante just stayed quiet while she talked. "You believed me when not even my parents did."

"Cheryl, if there's one thing that u was ever sure about you, is that you loved Jason more than anything and there's no way that you did anything to hurt him." Dante spoke to her. He may have a thousand of problems with her, but he knows how much she cared about her brother.

"Which is why I want to repay your kindness." She says to him.

"Cheryl, truly, that's not necessary." Dante didn't really want anything from her.

"Save the "aw, shucks" for Betty." Dante had no idea what that was supposed to mean. "I'm granting you one wish, Dante." She says while staring at him. "Nothing is off the table, except for my body." Dante noted that she bit her lip when she said that. "Jason would want you to be rewarded."

Dante just stayed quiet for a bit, he was wondering if he should ask her for help. Maybe ask her if Jason was acting strange at home or if he has mentioned something to her. He leans for it a bit but when he did, a student that sitting in front of him messing on his phone turned around.

"Hey, Parker, Is it truth that you and Chuck are going to fight at Twilight Drive-In tonight?" Dante quickly turned his gaze to the guy that was asking him that.

"How do you know?" Dante quickly asked.

The guy than showed Dante his phone with an announcement saying.

**Clayton vs Parker brawl tonight at seven on the Twilight Drive-In.**

"They sent it to the whole school." He said to Dante.

Dante then looked around and noticed that most of the classroom was staring at him. He turned around and noticed Cheryl who had just looked at her cell phone do the same.

"Shit." Dante said in a low voice.

* * *

The first thing that Dante did once school was over, was go straight home. He had to spent the rest of the day enduring either people staring at him or mocking him by saying that Chuck was going to kick his ass. It was pretty annoying. He was sitting down playing his Xbox again, trying to pass the time until seven. He wasn't really worried about it. It wasn't the first time he got into a fight with someone either bigger or stronger than him, and the guys he did were much scarier than Chuck Clayton.

While he was playing a game in the **Xbox**, his cell phone started to buzz. He pick it up and it was Betty sending a message.

**Betty: Can you come to school?**

**Dante: For what?**

**Betty: It's worse than we thought.**

**Dante: What?**

**Betty: Veronica wasn't the only one that Chuck messed with.**

**Betty: The Blue & Gold office, please come.**

**Dante: Alright.**

Dante puts down the controller and turns off the video game. He then put on his shoes again and left the house.

* * *

Dante quickly got to school again and bumped into Veronica at the entrance.

"What are you doing here?" She asked him.

"Betty called me." Dante responded.

"Me too."

The two of them quickly entered and went to The Blue & Gold office. As they entered they noticed Betty sitting down with several other girls.

"This story is bigger than we thought." Betty said as Dante and Veronica entered the room. "I asked around to see if what happened to you happened to anyone else...and if anyone would go on record."

"I will. One hundred percent." Ethel who was sitting down said.

"It's five guys on the football team, Chuck and his posse." Betty told them. "Ethel was just about to tell us."

"One day last year, Chuck and I talked in the library for 10 minutes." Ethel started to tell the story. "I helped him with a pre-calc problem, and nothing happened." She paused for a second. "But the next day, he started telling people...that I let him do stuff to me." She paused again. "Like, sex stuff. And then he or one of his goons wrote "Sloppy Seconds" on my locker."

Dante was originally having second thoughts about the whole fight but now he had no doubts.

"Yes, yes, we've all heard your tragic origin story." Dante turned around and saw Cheryl at the door.

"I'm so, so sorry, Ethel. That's horrible." Betty said to her while putting her hand at her shoulder.

"Not as horrible as being a suspect in your own brother's torture murder case...but we all have our crosses." Cheryl said while she entered the room. "In the meantime, River Vixen practice starts in five minutes, sluts."

"They're ruining our lives, and to them, it's just a game." Ethel said while sobbing a bit. "They keep score and-"

"Wait." Veronica interrupts her. "What do you mean, keep score?"

"Each conquest earns them points." Ethel replies. "They keep track in some secret playbook."

Dante had an urge to slap his forehead when he heard that. Jason mentioned that playbook to him once. Saying that Chuck writes everyone in the football team in there with or without their permission.

"Okay, we have to talk to Weatherbee." Betty quickly said.

"I already tried." Ethel quickly said back. "Weatherbee said that he didn't find anything."

"Okay, we need undeniable proof." Betty said. Dante was about to speak but was interrupted.

"Proof of what, Nancy Drew?" Cheryl started to talk. "That boys will be boys? And that playbook reeks of suburban legend."

"No, it isn't." Dante finally spoke up, getting everyone's attention.

"How would you know, Dante?" Veronica asked him.

"Jason told me about it." Dante respond it. "He said that Chuck writes the name of everyone in the football team with or without their permission."

"My brother never would've allowed it." Cheryl spoke to Dante directly.

"You think that is so easy." Dante spoke while looking at her. "Jason had to deal with those douchebags every day, Cheryl." Dante started to approach her. "Jason really didn't need or want to get attention for himself by exposing them."

"Dante?" Dante heard Ethel calling him from behind. "Is it truth that you and Chuck are going to fight?"

Dante just nodded his head. "Honestly, I was having second thoughts about that." Dante said to every girl in the room. "But after hearing this, I'm one hundred percent going to fight him tonight." He then moved his gaze to Ethel. "But not before doing something first." He turns around and walks past Cheryl. "Wait here a bit girls."

Dante quickly left and came back to the The Blue & Gold office holding something in his hand. He quickly hands it to Betty. "I present to you, Chuck's lame playbook." All the girls were surprised by what Dante said.

"You knew where it was?" Betty asked him.

"Jason told me, I didn't really care about it until now." Dante answered to her. "Whatever you do with it, do it tomorrow." Dante told her before turning around. "Oh... and Jason and Polly's names are there but that's Chuck's handwriting."

"Where are you going?" Veronica asked him.

"To prepare myself, I have an arrogant douchebag to beat." Dante said as he walked towards the exit.

* * *

Dante made his way back to his house. He took a cold shower and started to warm up. He changed his clothes to something more flexible.

He put on black kung fu pants, a black tank-top and black low tops. Dante was about to leave his house to go the Drive-In but he hears someone knock on the door.

**Knock,Knock,Knock**

Dante was confused because no one comes to his house. Only Jason would go there from time to time but besides him, no body visited. He got downstairs and walked towards the door.

He opens it.

"Kevin? What are you doing here?" It was the sheriff son, Kevin Keller.

"Betty and Veronica asked me to pass here to see if you need a ride for the brawl." He spoke like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Where are they?" Dante asked.

"Betty is finishing an article for the Blue & Gold about Chuck's playbook and Veronica went back home to change her clothes for the brawl." Kevin said to him. "They both said that they'll be there." Kevin then took a look at Dante. "Nice outfit, especially the pants."

"Thanks, I guess." Dante then closed the door behind him. "Let's go then."

* * *

Dante and Kevin got into Kevin's car and started to drive to the Drive-in.

"Are you ready?" Kevin asked him.

"Sorta."

"It's just, this is so... romantic." Dante made a confused look. "It's like, you're about to brawl a guy to defend the honor of our raven haired friend and every other girl that he humiliated."

"They told you about it?"

"Betty called me and explained everything." Kevin quickly responded. "I'm one hundred percent rooting for you."

Dante smiled a bit at that. "Hey, Kev."

"Yeah?"

"You're too good for an asshole like Moose Mason."

"He isn't so bad."

"He isn't so good either." Dante starts to look at the road. "You should be with someone that isn't afraid to be seen with you."

"I know but... It's kind of hard."

"It always is, but if he really cared for you, how hard it is shouldn't matter."

"You're probably right."

* * *

They drove a bit more until they finally arrived at the Drive-In.

"Holy shit." Kevin said when he saw the number of people that were there. "The whole school must be here."

Dante just looked around in shock. He knew that some people would go to see it, but he didn't expect this much. There was loud music coming from the cars that were parked there and people drinking and eating. All sitting at their cars or standing beside them, waiting for the main event.

They both got out of the car and started to walk to the center. The music was very loud and most were hearing different songs so it made it a bit confusing. As he and Kevin passed through the cars, Dante started to hear a bunch of things.

"You're gonna die Parker."

"Chuck is going to break that pretty face of yours."

"Good riddance, weirdo."

"The hell is this creep wearing?"

"I knew the he was a homo, he and Jason were probably fucking."

The insults went on as Dante kept approaching the center. There was a circle in there, made by the cars, probably Chuck's idea. As he gets closer, he sees Cheryl standing with some of the vixens. They then see Veronica and Betty.

"Hey." Veronica said to them. "Nervous?"

Dante just shakes his head.

"It's not too late to walk away." Betty tried to argue.

"Don't worry about me." Dante quickly rebuffed.

"All of the girls are here." Veronica said to him. "They all cheering for you, hell even Cheryl is cheering for you." That surprised Dante since he thought the whole Cheryl being nice to him was just temporary.

Before they could say anything else. They see Chuck arriving.

"There he is." Dante spoke. He started to walk towards the center but before he could do it, Veronica pulled him into a kiss. They pulled back and stare at each other's eyes. "For luck."

Dante just smiled before finally going to the circle. He passes through the rest of the cars, hearing some insults but also some cheers for him. He walks passed the last car and sees Chuck and his goons.

"I WAS STARTING TO THINK YOU WOULDN'T COME." Chuck screamed loud for him to hear, he then takes off the leather jacket that he was wearing.

Dante just stayed quiet and walked towards the middle of the circle. Chuck gives his annoying smug smile and also walks towards the circle. Everyone around them started to cheer. The two stared at each other eyes, Dante had a neutral expression on his face but Chuck looked like this was all a joke. Cheryl Blossom then started to walk towards them.

"Alright, boys." She said and the two stare ate her. "A clean fight, no dirty tricks."

"I don't need to fight dirty to beat this asshole." Dante spoke.

"Alright them." Cheryl turns around and starts to get away, but then out of nowhere she turns to them again and gives Dante a kiss in the cheek, leaving a lipstick mark. "For luck." She whispers in his ear.

Dante could hear people talking about what just happened but that wasn't important right now. "Now boys, to each other's side." Cheryl said while staying away.

Dante and Chuck obey and each go to the end of the side they were on. Dante was trying to understand how exactly it got to this mess. He could see everyone with their cell phones on, ready to record everything. There will be no denying it afterwards.

"Ready." Cheryl spoke. "FIGHT!"

Both Dante and Chuck charged at each other. Each got into a fight stance when they met in the middle.

Dante made a traditional Karate stance while Chuck made a clumsy boxer stance.

Chuck throws a fake left jab at Dante, who moved his head back a bit. He throws another one but Dante didn't move this time. He throws a third fake jab but this one was followed by a right hook that hits Dante in the jaw. The punch makes Dante move a bit to the back.

Dante resumes his stance and goes at Chuck. He throws a jump front kick at Chuck's face that makes him fall into the ground.

"Get up! No ground fighting!" Dante spoke in anger with his lip bleeding from the hook he received.

Chuck stood up and resumed his stance. Dante tries to throw a roundhouse kick into Chuck's ribs but he grabbed his leg and threw a punch to his face, making him fall into the floor. Chuck stayed put rather than kicking him on the floor, so Dante quickly got up again.

Chuck tried to throw more punches at him. He threw three hooks at him but Dante blocked them with Karate blocks, and threw a straight punch at Chuck's nose. The punch made Chuck step back. He covers his nose a bit, but when he removed his hand, Dante saw blood. He looked Dante with a face of pure rage.

He charged at Dante again but this time tried to tackle him into the ground. Chuck was stronger than Dante, so he pushed him into the floor with ease. He used a double leg take down. Dante quickly covered his face and used his legs to keep him from mounting him and to defend the punches that Chuck started to throw at him. He then managed to use his legs to push him off of him.

Dante stood up again and prepared to fight again.

"C'mon, Parker or should I call you Jason's dog." Chuck said while signalling Dante to come at him.

This time, Dante was angry. He charged at Chuck and threw a Jumping Spinning Heel at his face. The kick hit Chuck on the cheek and he fell back at one of the cars which he held himself, to not fall into the ground.

"Goddammit, my cheekbone." Chuck said in a painful low voice.

Dante ignored what he said and grabbed him by the shirt and threw him into the ground using a hip throw. He then mounted Chuck and started to punch him using his right hand. He hit his face with punch after punch after punch.

"Parker! Enough!" Dante stopped and looked behind him. It was Moose calling him. "He's had enough!"

Dante came off of Chuck, who was knocked out on the ground. He then looked around and notice everyone talking.

"Shit, he beat the shit out of Chuck."

"Didn't see that coming."

"Is he still alive?"

"Good riddance."

"Chuck is an asshole anyway."

And it kept going and going. Dante got tired of it and started to walk towards his friends. He's quickly approached by Veronica, Betty, and Kevin. Veronica quickly grabs a handkerchief and uses to wipe the blood on Dante's lip.

"Jesus, Dante." Betty spoke. "I hate the guy but was that necessary?"

"Can we not talk about it." It was all that Dante said to her. "Kevin, can you give me a ride home?"

"Sure."

"We can make a stop at Pop's to get something to eat." Veronica spoke to him.

"I didn't bring any cash." Dante said.

"I'll pay for you, don't worry." Veronica said to him.

Dante didn't really had the energy to argue and he was hungry. "Okay." But Dante was somewhat fearful for tomorrow because he knew that what he did was going to have consequences.

* * *

_**A/N: To answer a question of a reader. Yes, the cover image is what Dante looks like.**_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 4: Load up on guns, bring your friends

Dante knew that what he did would have repercussions, but he really expected it to be more on his side. Chuck was the school golden boy and the football star. Dante on the other hand was a loner that only wears the color black. He was expecting to get either most or all the punishment. His fight with Chuck became viral on the internet, and it didn't take too long for the ones who weren't at the Twilight Drive-In to see it as well. So there was no escape from it.

But to his surprise, thanks to the article that Betty published in The Blue and Gold, them presenting the playbook to the principal and most of the girls testifying on the harassment, Chuck and his goons got the majority of the punishment. The most ironic part was how he manage to escape the repercussions of the fight. Apparently one of the guys in the football team told Coach Clayton that Chuck was the one that set the entire fight up. Veronica's mother who was not happy at all about the whole Sticky maple situation, also spoke with the principal.

So at the end, Dante Parker for the first time in his life, got away with something.

He still couldn't believe it himself.

* * *

Dante wakes up at the same hour that he usually does. Takes a shower, eats breakfast and got dressed. Same routine. He put on black jeans, black long sleeve t-shirt, a black nylon jacket and black military boots. There's no school today, so he had no idea on what to do for the rest of the day.

**Knock, Knock, Knock**

Dante hears someone knocking on the door. He walks downstairs to check out. He opens the door.

"What the?" Dante opens the door and Dilton Doiley was on the other side. "Dilton? What are you doing here?"

"What the hell, Parker?" Dilton said. "You told the Sheriff about my riffle?!"

"Oh... yeah...ummm... sorry about that." Dante totally forgot that he told Sheriff Keller about his riffle. "Was it you who fired it on the fourth of July?" Dante asked him in curiosity.

"It was me, but that's not the point." Dilton kept talking.

"What the hell were you doing?" Dante asked. When the two of them do their practice, they usually go to a very secluded area. But then Dante remembered that Dilton was leading Riverdale's boy scout troop on a bird watching expedition throughout the woods located nearby Sweetwater River. Then Dante remembered that some of the people accompanying him were children. "Were you teaching children how to shoot?!"

"What? No!" Dilton quickly denied. "I was just showing them, I didn't let them touch the riffle."

"And you didn't think one of them could comment to their parents that you were bringing a fire weapon to a bird watching expedition?" Dante asked with a lot of sarcasm in his voice. Suddenly he doesn't feel so bad about snitching. "What happened to the riffle?"

"Sheriff Keller confiscated it."

"Why? Doesn't your dad have a permit for it?" Dante asked. Dilton just stayed silent. "He doesn't."

Dilton shakes his head confirming what Dante just said.

"What do you want?"

Dilton opens his bag and pulls out a box of 9mm bullets. "Can we do some Target Shooting today?"

Dante didn't really have anything better to do. "Ok." He signals Dilton to follow him. Dante walks outside of the house and goes in direction to the garage which was separated from the house. The two entered through the door and Dante turned on the lights.

"Holy shit." Dilton said as he saw the two cars that were inside.

Dante's father has two cars. A white **Chevrolet Camaro 2010** and a red 1990 **Ferrari Testarossa**. "Those are my Dad's cars."

He signals Dilton to follow him again but he was just staring at the cars, he walks past them into a cabinet which was locked by a digit code. "Turn around." Dante told Dilton, who in turn obeyed. He then pressed the code to open, the code was 1911 which is basically his father's favorite handgun, the **M1911**. He opens the cabinet revealing his father's guns.

"Nice." Dilton said as he looks at Virgil Parker's collection.

Dante's father has got quite the arsenal in that cabinet. Several handguns, machine gun, assault rifles, shotguns and rifles. There were a few knives in there as well.

"Pick a handgun and nothing more." Dante quickly said.

Dilton obeyed and looked for a few of the handguns before picking the **Beretta M9**. Dante then picked up **Springfield Armory XD.**

* * *

After picking up their handguns, Dilton drove Dante to the spot where the two of them usually practiced.

**BANG**

**BANG**

**BANG**

**BANG**

**BANG**

The two of them kept shooting on a couple of glass bottles and cans.

"I can't believe that you beat up Chuck and got him banned from the team." Dilton spoke as he reloaded his gun.

"I just beat him up, Betty Cooper and Veronica Lodge got him cut." Dante said as he loaded his own gun.

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" He asked

"I'm a black belt in Karate," Dante quickly answered as he finished loading his gun. "And I got into a few fights street fights back in Detroit."

"A few fight?"

"I used to hang out with this guy back in Detroit and he was what you could call... Problematic." Dante started to explain.

"What was his name?" Dilton asked him.

"Kurtz." Before Dante moved to Riverdale and became friends with Jason and Polly. He was friends with a guy named Kurtz back in Detroit.

**BANG**

**BANG**

**BANG**

So far, Dante has been hitting several of the targets while Dilton was struggling.

"You're holding the grip too tightly, loosen up a bit." Dante advised him.

Dilton obeys and then makes his shoot.

**BANG**

He hits the target. "Yes!"

"Nice one." Dante congratulates him.

**BANG**

**BANG**

**BANG**

* * *

After a few more shoots, they ran out of bullets. Dilton drove Dante back home and they put the handguns back in place. Dilton then thanked him for the practice before going away. Dante then got hungry and decided to go eat something at Pop's. He walked out his house and rode his skateboard there.

It didn't took long for him to arrive, he quickly entered.

"Hello, Dante." The Owner of Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe, Pop Tate greeted him.

"Hey, Pop."

"The usual?" He asked him.

"Yes please."

The 'usual' is a cheese pizza, a very large portion of Chili Fries and a vanilla milkshake. Dante walked to sit at a table that was close to the window. He waited a few minutes until a waitress that looked very familiar brought his food.

"Here we go." She said as she put his food on the table. Dante was staring at her to try to understand why she looked so familiar. "Something wrong?"

"Oh... ummm... sorry, you look familiar." Dante clumsily said to her.

She looked at him for a few seconds before speaking. "You must be Dante." She said before extending her hand. "Hermione Lodge, I'm Veronica's mother."

Dante then understood why she looked so familiar. He shakes her hand before saying. "This is going to sound like the most cliché thing ever, but I can see where Veronica got her beauty and elegance."

She smiled a bit. "Ronnie did say that you were a gentlemen." She then took a good look at him. "You look just like your father."

Dante was a bit surprised by that. "You know my dad?"

"I actually studied with him." Hermione spoke with him.

"Umm sorry, waitress." They heard someone calling her from a table.

"I have to go back to work." She turns around and goes to serve.

Dante needed to have a long talk with Virgil when he comes back. He decided to just concentrate on his food. He picks up his phone from his pocket and puts on his earphones to listen to some music. He puts on the song Empire Ants by Gorillaz. He tries to concentrate on his food.

But. A flashback ends up playing on his head. A flashback of him and Jason siting on that same table, not long ago.

_"What do you think I should get for Polly for her birthday?" Jason asked him._

_"I don't know, get her something that symbolizes how much you care for her." Dante answered_

_"Like what?" Jason asked him again._

_"Do you have any family jewel or something from you grandparents?"_

_"Not exactly."_

_"Give her this." Dante pulls a bracelet that was on his wrist. It was a really fancy looking bracelet and it looked expensive as well._

_"Dude, is that a real diamond?" Jason asked which Dante just nodded. "It's a woman's bracelet, where did you get it."_

_"I was my mom's." Jason made a surprised face._

_"I can't accept this man."_

_"Keep it, it's only a reminder of hate for me anyway." Dante replied._

_"You never told me anything about your mother."_

_"I don't wanna talk about her, so please, never ask me about her." Dante said with a serious tone. "Look, this thing, I keep as a reminder of anger, but if you give it to Polly it can be something else than that." Dante puts the bracelet in Jason's hand. "Make it to her a reminder of how much you care about her."_

_Jason hesitated a bit but he decided to say yes. "Ok."_

_They hear the bell of the door. It was Polly._

* * *

"Dante?"

Dante suddenly heard someone calling him and he snapped out of that memory. It was Polly's sister, Betty.

"Oh, hi Betty." Dante then looked around and noticed that Pop's was full, he also noticed that some people were staring at him. By people, he meant, Pop, Hermione, Cheryl, Tina Patel and Ginger Lopez.

"Are you crying?" She asked him with a worried look.

He then noticed that there was a tear dropping from his left eye. He quickly wipes it off his face. "No, no I'm not." Dante quickly says. "So what are you doing here?"

"I... made plans with Veronica and Kevin to meet here." She said to Dante. He then looks out the window and noticed that it was already dark.

"Oh... You want this table, because I can go if-" Dante tried to say before being interrupted.

"No! I mean, why don't you sit with us. Like we did the other day." She quickly replies.

"Umm... Okay." Dante said to her. "I have to go to the bathroom."

Dante then stands up from his table and walks towards the bathroom. He washes his face a bit, asking himself what the hell was he doing. How long was he sitting there? It was night already and it was still day when he sat there. Dante turned around and walked back outside but before he did, he heard Betty's voice.

"Umm... How long was he sitting there?" Betty asked someone.

"Three hours." He heard Veronica's mother say. "He just started to eat his food but then when he finished, he just kept staring at the other chair like there was someone there." Dante kept hearing her talk.

"Him and his friend used to sit there all the time." He heard Pop say.

"Jason." Betty was quick to say the name.

"The boy that died?" Hermione asked.

"Those two were always together, actually, it's strange to me too." Pop started to say something. "It's weird to see him sitting on that chair alone."

Dante started to think now. This was the first time he'd come to Pop's alone. The other two times that he came here since Jason died were accompanied by someone. Only now that he realised that it was awkward to go there without him. Dante then came out of the bathroom and the three stared at him.

"What?" Dante pretended that he didn't hear what they said. "Hey Pop, can I get a BLT Burger, Cheese Fries and a Pepsi?"

"Umm... Sure." Pop turned around and went to the kitchen.

Dante walked pass Hermione and Betty and sat at the same spot that he was. Betty quickly sat there as well. Then Kevin and Veronica enter the Pop's.

"Dante? What are you doing here?" Veronica asked with a smile.

"I bumped into him and invited him to sit with us." Betty quickly answered. "Hope you guys don't mind."

"No, it's cool." Kevin said.

Dante quickly sat close to the window to give space for Kevin, who quickly sat beside him. Veronica on the other asked Betty to stand up so she could sit close to the window as well.

* * *

The three spent some time together. Talking about the Twilight Drive-In, apparently someone bought the property and they're going to demolish it. Dante thinks that sucks, because he loved to go there. After eating another lunch, Dante decided that it was time to go home.

"It's getting late, I better go home." Dante said as he stood up.

"Dante, can I talk to you." Betty stood up. "Outside."

Dante just nodded, hoping that she was going to tell him something about Polly. The two walked outside and stood in front of the Pop's.

"What is it?" He asked her.

"Are you okay?" She asked him.

Dante made a confused look. "Yes, why?"

"Pop and Veronica's mom told me that you were sitting there for three hours, and you were crying when I walked in." Betty said to him.

Dante made a annoyed look. "What do you care?" He asked her.

"Because after all that has happened, I consider you as friend." Betty started to say to him. "I know we don't know each other very well but I'm worried about you."

Dante stayed quiet for a bit. Then he took a deep breath and started to talk. "While I was sat there, I kinda had a flashback." Dante explained to her. "It was a year ago, Jason and I were sitting there and he was asking me, what should he give to Polly for her birthday." He kept on talking and Betty listened closely. "Then I gave him an old bracelet that I had for him to give it to her."

Betty made a surprised face. "Bracelet? A bracelet with diamonds?"

"Yes, That's the one."

"That was yours? Polly never took off since Jason gave it to her." Betty smiled a bit.

"I'm glad she liked it." Dante said to her. He tried to toss that thing away so many times, he was glad that it made someone else happy. "Anyway, that was it, I just..."

"Hey, guys." He heard Veronica's voice from behind him.

"Hey." Dante and Betty said to her.

"I'm going to be direct, what's this I hear about you crying in that chair before we showed up?" Veronica asked him.

Dante was surprised and then he looked to the window where he sees Veronica's mother looking at them. Then he realised that she probably told her. "I wasn't crying."

"He had flashback of him and Jason sitting there and he got sad because of it." Betty quickly said to them, which made Dante stare at her with an expression of annoyance.

"Hey, seriously." Veronica said while putting her hand on his shoulder.

Before anyone could say anything else. A car stopped in front of them. Dante took a good look and saw that it was Betty and Polly's mother. She takes a good look at him. "Get in the car Betty, now." It was more of an order than anything else.

Betty lifts her shoulders to them. But before going to the car, she put her hand on Dante's shoulder like Veronica. "It will get better." She said to him before entering the car.

"What have I told you about those two?" Alice said to her and soon as she entered.

"Can we just go?" Betty replies as she put the her seatbelt on.

They drive away quickly.

"She always hated me for some reason." Dante said as he watches the car leaving.

"That's her problem, not Betty's." Veronica replied.

"Yup." Dante then grabbed his skateboard. "I'm going home, see you tomorrow."

"Bye Danticho." Veronica said which made Dante stare at her.

"Is that Spanish?" Dante asked in curiosity.

"There aren't many nicknames for the name Dante, so I had to get creative." Veronica joked with a smile.

"Good to know." Dante gives her a kiss in the cheek. "Bye Ronnie."

He then rides away on his skateboard.

* * *

As soon as Dante got home. He took off his clothes and went to sleep in his underwear like he always does. But he ended up waking up in the middle of the night and was unable to sleep again, so he sat down and started to play his **Xbox 360** until it was time for school. He played the game **Fable 2** until it the sun came up, then he put on the same clothes that he was wearing yesterday.

Right before he was about to leave, his cell phone vibrates.

**Betty: What is my mom's problem with you anyway?**

**Dante: How should I know?**

**Betty: She just kept telling me to stay away from you after we left Pop's.**

**Dante: I never liked your mother to be honest.**

**Betty: Can you meet me at my house?**

**Dante: Why? Did you find anything about Polly?**

**Betty: No. It's just to walk to school together.**

**Dante: I'll be there. But your mom won't be happy.**

**Betty: I'll handle my mother, don't worry.**

Dante then put his cell phone in his pocket and left his house to go to Betty's.

* * *

**Knock, Knock, Knock**

Dante arrived at Betty's house quickly enough. Though he was not exactly looking forward to see her parents. Dante never really liked Hal and Alice Cooper, they were just too... perfect. A fake kinda of perfect that Dante found pretty disgusting.

The door opens and reveals Alice Cooper. To Dante's misery.

"Dante? What are you doing here?" Alice didn't even try to disguise the annoyance she was having with his presence at the door.

"Is Betty ready?" Dante decided to be direct. "She asked me to meet her here."

"Betty, asked you to come here?" There was a certain disbelief in her voice.

Luckily, this conversation was cut short. Betty finally appeared in door as well.

"Let's go Dante." Betty said and walked passed her mother.

Dante just turns around and starts to walk away from the house with Betty beside him. He could tell that she was still staring at him. Which was pretty annoying for him.

Betty and Dante walk in the street together quietly. None of the two said a word. Dante for the first time decided to start a conversation with her.

"It's because she and your dad are fake." Dante spoke out of nowhere.

"What?" She asked in deep confusion.

"Your parents have this obsession with playing the perfect suburban family act, that's why I never liked them." Dante explained to her. "I mean, that's why Polly liked to hang out with me and Jason, she didn't have to play the perfect daughter or anything when she was around us." Dante looked at her. "All she had to be was Polly."

Betty stayed quiet for a bit. "I can understand that."

"Of course you can." Dante replied.

She looked at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You are the one who tries the hardest to appear perfect." Dante told her. "The perfect girl next door."

"I hate when people call me that." Betty made an angry face.

"I don't doubt it." Dante quickly spoke. "But if not the perfect girl next door, then who are you Betty Cooper?"

Betty stayed quiet again but this time it looked like that she was thinking deeply. "I...I don't know."

"Then let's find out who the real Betty Cooper is together." Dante told her with a smile. "Because if she's as awesome as the real Polly Cooper then that's a girl that I want to hang out with."

Betty chuckled a bit. "Wow, now I understand why Polly liked you so much."

* * *

The school day was unremarkable at best. Dante spent most of the day waiting for the classes to be over. He was currently sitting in the music room. Dante was a decent guitar player, though he considered himself as more of a music listener rather than a music player. Him and Jason were part of Ms. Grundy's independent music program, but honestly, Dante only accepted because Jason insisted.

Jason once joked that Ms. Grundy was attracted to Dante. He laughed when he said that.

Right now, Dante was trying to play the song **Baltimore's Fireflies** by **Woodkid**

Dante closes his eyes and lets the music flow. He started to sing.

_"What are the words that I'm supposed to say?_

_Your white skin, swirling fireflies._

_Darkness has surrounded Baltimore bay._

_Why don't you open your blue eyes?_

_Are they things that water can't wash away?_

_How can your absence leave no trace?_

_As I let you sink in Baltimore bay._

_I drown myself deep in disgrace."_

Unfortunately, Dante plays the wrong note which ruins the song.

"Shit." Dante said as he stopped singing because of it.

Clap, clap, clap.

Dante started to hear a few claps coming from the door. He looks to it and notices that is Valerie Brown.

"Shame you played the wrong note, cause you were nailing the song." Valerie said as she entered the room.

"Not everyone can be as talented as you, Josie and Melody." Dante said to her as he put the guitar down. "What are you doing here?"

"The Pussycats are going to have a rehearsal, I came here to prepare the equipment." Valerie quickly answered.

"Oh, Okay." Dante stood up from the chair that he was sitting down. "Better not get in the way of the actual talent then." He said with a smile.

"Hey, you're not bad." Valerie said to him. "You just have to put some more time into it."

"Nah, I always preferred to listen to good music than play it." Dante said. "Like that one that you girls played at the Pep Rally."

Valerie smiled at what he said. "The song is called Sugar, Sugar." She started to set up her musical keyboard .

"Did you write all of the songs?" Dante asked with curiosity.

"Yup." She answered as she started to test the Keyboard.

Dante then hears steps coming from behind him. It was the rest of the Pussycats.

"Excuse me, this is a close rehearsal." Josie spoke to him.

Dante just ignores her. "Well, have a good rehearsal." He said to Valerie before turning around to leave.

"Thanks Dante."

* * *

After class was over Dante just walked out of the school. He didn't bring his skateboard today because of his talk with Betty. So walking it was. Not that he minded. As he walked he ended up passing through the Twilight drive-in and saw a sign.

**Closing night.**

It had tomorrow's date on it. It will be his last time seeing a movie in there. It sucked, him and Jason would go there all the time. Sometimes with Polly, sometimes just the two of them. It was going to close and he can't go with either of them. Dante was just a bit upset.

"Dante?" Dante turns around to see who just called his name, it was Betty.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Dante asked her.

"Going to the Register, I have to speak with my mom about something." Betty answered.

"You better get ready for an annoying lecture about walking around with me." Dante told her.

She chuckles a bit. "I'm already ready for that."

Dante approaches her. "Mind if I tag along with you?" Dante asked.

"Ummm.. sure." Betty said with a confused look.

The two started to walk in the direction that Betty was going.

"Sorry if I'm bothering you, is just that... I just need to clear my head a bit." Dante said as the two walked.

"It's no bother but, is there something bothering you?" Betty asked him.

There was something bothering Dante, but he didn't know if he should tell her. While his friendship with Betty is new, he doesn't fully trust her yet. The thing that is bothering Dante is that, he's been thinking a lot about whoever killed Jason and what if he goes after Polly. Dante should invent something so Betty doesn't pry anymore.

"I'm a little upset about the Drive-in, Jason and I used to go there a lot." It wasn't the best excuse but it was good enough.

"I heard that it was bought by an anonymous buyer." Betty said to him.

"He's probably gonna transform into something else for money." Dante said to her. "What a waste."

"Are you going to the Closing night?" She asked.

"Probably."

"Kevin and V are going." She told him.

"I though Kevin was gay." Dante joked with a confused look.

She laughs a bit. "Not like that dummy, V thought that she might bring Kev some luck."

"Well, He can't do worse Moose Mason right?" Dante said in a sarcastic note.

"I hope he finds someone good to him." Betty said as they are almost arriving at the Register.

"We're here." Dante said. "Is better that I don't get too close."

"You're probably right." Betty said in return. "Thanks for walking me here."

She starts to walk towards the Register. But as she does, Dante has an idea.

"Hey, Betty." He calls for her.

"What?" She looks back to ask.

"You wanna go to the closing night with me?" Dante was planning to ask Veronica as a date but since she's going with Kevin. Betty is the only other person that he can ask to go with him, it wouldn't be date, just as friends. "We can meet Veronica and Kevin there."

"Umm.. Sure." She hesitates a bit before accepting.

"Cool, I'll pick you up by tomorrow." Dante is gonna pick one of his father's cars.

"Okay." She quickly answers. "Pick me up at the end of the street."

Dante made a confused look. "Okay."

"See you then." That was all she said before turning around and walking to the Register.

After dropping Betty at the Register, Dante went back home. He spent the rest of the day playing the game **Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords** on his **Xbox**.

* * *

Dante woke up the next morning slightly later then he should have. He spent the rest of the night playing the game and he ended up sleeping later then he should. He quickly got up and left without eating breakfast. It was kinda of stupid of him to do that since the school day was dull as ever. Basically some classes that Dante couldn't pay attention to because he was hungry.

After class was over, Dante walked back home to get ready for later. But the moment he arrived there. He saw Betty's parents at the door. He got closer to see what they wanted.

"Umm...Hello?" Dante greeted them in confusion while they knocked on his door.

They turned around and saw him. "Oh, Hello Dante." Alice Cooper greeted him back but Dante could tell that she was annoyed by his presence. "Do you know where your father is?"

"Nope." That was all that Dante said.

"Do you know when he comes back?" She asked him. Dante was wondering what exactly she wanted with his Father.

"Nope." Dante repeated the same answer. "My dad is probably shooting someone in Iraq or Afghanistan or whatever they have needs for marines." Dante was exaggerating but he wasn't exactly in the mood to talk to those two. "What do you want with him anyway?" He asked them.

"We're sorry to come unannounced, Dante." Hal Cooper finally spoke up. "It's been a rough couple months for us. But Alice and I-"

"We think you and Betty should stop spending time together." Alice didn't allow her husband to finish what he was saying. "This relationship isn't good for her." Dante just stood there listening to the nonsense shit that she was saying. "And her respective behavior reflects that."

"If by "Respective behavior" you mean, not wanting to play to perfect girl next door role that you keep shoving on to her," Dante started to speak. "I'm afraid that I can't do that, because I can't risk Betty having a mental breakdown like Polly did." He knows that the mental breakdown story is bullshit but they can't know that he knows.

"Listen Dante, that is not what Alice meant by that." Hal tried to speak again.

"Mr. Cooper, I'm one hundred percent sure that she means everything that she ever says." Dante quickly rebuffed what she was saying. "Like when she said that Polly was no longer her daughter when she was dating Jason." Dante then walked pass the two and went towards his door.

"Stay away from Betty." Alice said the moment Dante opened the door.

Dante just closed the door without bothering to answer the woman. The first thing that Dante did as soon as he entered was pick up his phone and sent a message to Betty.

**Dante: It's official.**

He waited a few minutes before getting a reply.

**Betty: What?**

**Dante: I really hate your parents.**

**Betty: Why? Did they do something?**

**Dante: They just came to house and told me to stay away from you.**

**Betty: WHAT?**

**Dante: Your mother's words "We think you and Betty should stop spending time together. This relationship isn't good for her. And her respective behavior reflects that."**

**Betty: Respective Behavior? What's that supposed to mean.**

**Dante: It means that you're not playing the perfect girl next door role as you should.**

There's a small pause.

**Betty: Are you still taking me to the Drive-in?**

**Dante: Yes.**

**Betty: Good, I want you to pick me up at my place.**

**Dante: Betty, not that I wouldn't love to annoy your mom, but do you really think that's a good idea?**

**Betty: No.**

**Dante: If you say so.**

* * *

Not long after. It was time for Dante to go pick up Betty for the closing night. He put on some decent clothes. Black chinos, Black t-shirt with a black overshirt and black sneakers. He then went to his father's room to get the keys for one of his cars. He takes the key for the Camaro, his father doesn't mind when he uses the car but he made it absolutely clear to never drive the Ferrari without his permission. Dante then leaves the house and opens up the garage. He enters the car and drives off to Betty's house.

He arrives there pretty quickly then he waits outside a bit. He picks up his phone and sends her a message.

**Dante: I'm outside.**

Dante then sees her in the window upstairs signalling him to wait. He sits down a bit until Betty comes out of the house. But the moment she does, Dante notices Alice yelling at her for something but Dante can't hear it. He doesn't care to be honest. Betty then opens the door and he can hear Alice screams.

"Elizabeth Cooper, get out of that car right now!" Dante had a small urge to say something but he noticed that it would be a waste of time.

Betty simply closes the door. "Can we go?"

Dante nodded and then started drive away.

"Who's car is this?" Betty asked.

"My dad's." Dante answered. "You know that she'll probably come after us."

"How do you know?"

"She did it with Polly once."

"What?!"

* * *

After Dante told Betty a short story about how he, Jason and Polly once went to a concert in Greendale and Alice followed them all of the way and dragged Polly back home. Jason and Dante had to go alone to the concert and Polly's angry rant the next day was epic. But Betty really did not like what she just heard.

They arrived at the Drive-In. Dante kept looking for a spot to park the car to see the movie.

"That's Kevin's truck." Betty told him while pointing at the truck.

Dante drove in that direction and and parked the car beside the truck. Dante then roll down the window to greet them.

"Hey guys." Dante greeted the two of them.

"Hey." The two said when they turned their head to see them.

"You didn't told me you were coming Danticho." Veronica quickly said to him which made Kevin chuckle.

"Danticho?" Kevin asked Veronica.

"I can't call him Dark Gentleman like everyone else." Veronica quickly answered.

"I think it's adorable." Kevin said in return. He then looked at the car that Dante and Betty came with. "Who's car is that?"

"My dad's." Dante was quick to answer.

* * *

After they finished greeting each other, they quickly stopped talking when the movie started. They didn't talk much just one or two commentaries as the movie goes on. The only thing that distracted them, was Cheryl arriving in her red car. Which caught the attention of all four of them.

"Make some room, outcasts." Cheryl said as she climbed onto the truck and sat beside Veronica.

Dante was confused but decided that he didn't really wanna know. He just sat back to watch the film with Betty beside him.

"Did Polly came here often?" Betty asked Dante in a low voice.

"Sometimes." Dante answered. "Once we all came here to see Princess Bride."

"Jason loved that film." Dante heard Cheryl say.

Dante turned his head to look at her. "Yeah, he did."

Cheryl makes a somewhat sad face before looking back at the scream.

Then they start to hear some noise on the back. Dante looked to see where was it coming from. It was the Serpents, sitting on the back fooling around.

They started to laugh and Kevin snickered a bit. "Southside trash." Kevin said.

"They've been doing that since the opening credits." Veronica said.

"Shh!" Kevin shushes them.

"Screw off!" One of the bikers said "Nice haircut, you dweeb."

Everyone around them started to shush them as well.

Dante had enough and opened the door of his car and stepped outside. "Hey! You know what happens when an Eagle eats a Snake?" Dante said to them. "Shut the fuck up, or you'll find out!" Dante yelled at them before re-entering his car. But when he did. Everyone around them started to applaud him for what he said.

"I cannot believe you just threatened a gang." Kevin spoke to him as soon as he closed the door of the car.

"I've dealt with worse in Detroit." Dante rebuffed. "Once, a group of twelve guys chased me and my friend Kurtz through eight blocks."

"Why?" Veronica asked him.

"Well, Kurtz was -" Dante started to tell the story but out of nowhere. Alice Cooper knocked on the car window on Betty's side

"Get out of the car Betty." She spoke in a calm voice.

"Mom, don't start." Betty quickly rebuffed.

"Betty, you going to get out of this car and you going home with me now or I'll scream so loud that even the people that didn't come here today will hear it." Alice spoke in a calm voice that definitely did not sound like a bluff.

Betty exhales deeply before getting out of the car. "Fine." She spoke with a very annoyed tone. She turns around to look at Dante. "Thanks for inviting me Dante."

"No problem." Dante smiled at her a bit.

"Let's go." Alice said and started to walk away and Betty followed her after.

Betty waved at Kevin and Veronica who waved back.

"Jesus Christ, what's her problem with you anyway?" Kevin asked Dante.

"My theory is that I don't fit the boy next door archetype." Dante joked but this was one of his theories.

"No, you fit that archetype more." Veronica said to him while pointing at James Dean on the screen.

"But James's haircut is better." Kevin joked. "Though I have to admit that you have a similar dressing style."

Dante chucked at that.

"Though it would look better if he wore any color that wasn't black." This time it was Cheryl who said it.

Veronica then picked up the popcorn bowl. "How about a refill?" She tells Cheryl then hands her the bowl.

"Yeah, Kev, how about a refill?" She gives the bowl to Kevin. "Cherry cola, as always."

Kevin picks up the bowl and gets out of the truck. Dante is also out of popcorn so he decides to get one as well. "Hold up." He tells Kevin.

* * *

"Can we get a refill?" Dante asked the guy and handed him his bowl and Kevin's.

Kevin looks around and stops to look at something. Dante turns his head to see that he was looking at a couple kissing.

"And some gummy worms and a cola." Kevin asked the guy. He looks at the couple again. "And a hot dog? Who am I trying to impress?"

"Can you stop looking at them?" Dante finally spoke up. "It's kinda of creepy."

"We're out of dogs." The guy said to him.

"Figures." Kevin spoke up.

"Sorry, no comforting eating for you today." Dante joked to him.

"I can always go to Pop's." He joked to Dante.

Dante smiled. "Come on, our lady friends are waiting."

Dante and Kevin then picked up the bowls and made their way to back to their cars. But when they did, a guy with a slim build, tan skin, medium-length black hair, and very light blue eyes stops in front of them. "Not so tough without your beard, huh?"

Dante quickly stood in front of him and stared in his eyes. "You wanna a problem?" Dante was quick to say.

"No, I just wanna get to know this one better." He spoke while looking at Kevin.

"Hey, Dante, It's okay." Kevin spoke to him. "Get this to the girls." Kevin gave Dante his refills.

"What?"

"Just go."

Dante was confused but he decided to obey Kevin. He walked back towards the car where only Cheryl was sitting. He looks around and doesn't sees Veronica.

"Where's Veronica?" He asked while he handed the popcorn to Cheryl.

"No idea." She said while she looked at the film.

Dante puts the popcorn on the seat of his car and looked around. He then sees Veronica peeking from behind a wall. Dante decides to go to her and check.

He approaches her slowly and poked her shoulder. She gets a bit spooked and turned around.

"What's the problem?" He asked her in a low voice.

"Look." She answered her.

Dante then peeked as well and saw Hermione Lodge speaking with a men in a Leather Jacket. He picks a paper bag from her hand and checks.

"Where's the rest of it?" The man spoke.

"The rest of it?" Hermione asked. "It was my understanding that was the agreed-upon amount."

He closes the bag and speaks. "In that case, maybe we need to have a word with your husband."

"Good luck with that." Hermione quickly rebuffed. "As long as Hiram's in jail, you'll be dealing with me."

"Mmm-hmm."

"Is that a problem?"

"Enjoy the movie, Hermione." He said to her "We'll be in touch." He turned around and left her there.

Dante turned to Veronica and signalled her to follow him. She does without asking questions. "In my car." Dante spoke to her as the two made their way back to the Camaro. They entered and closed the windows of it.

"Do you know who that was?" Dante asked her.

"No, but Cheryl said that they spoke before at Pop's."

"Why is your mother giving money to a Serpent?"

"No idea but I'll find out." Veronica quickly spoke to him. She then looked around. "Nice car by the way."

"I told you, It's my father's." Dante repeated what he said to her and Kevin.

"What does he do?" She asked him.

"He's a Marine."

She makes a surprised face. "What? Your father is in the military?"

"Yes, what's the problem?"

"It's just that... you don't look like the type." Veronica spoke.

"Type?"

"Back in New York, I met a lot of guys who's fathers were in the army." She started to explain to him. "And most of them were like... a literal walking propaganda of Goody Two-Shoes." She told him.

Dante laughed at that. "Kevin's father was once in the military, I think and his mother oversea in the navy and I don't think he fits the type either."

"Speaking of him, where is he?" Veronica asked.

"He's either hooking up with or getting beat up by a biker." Dante said to her which made her confused. "Whatever it is, he told me to leave him alone with the guy."

"I see." Veronica spoke.

When they finished speaking. The two looked at the scream and saw the credits rolling.

"You wanna ride home?" Dante asked. "Cause I don't think Kevin will be back in a while."

"Sure." She said with a smile before putting on the seat belt.

Dante the rolled down the window to tell Cheryl that they were leaving. But the moment he did, he saw her driving away in her car. Dante then turned on the car and drove to the exit.

"Goodbye Twilight Drive-In." Dante said.

"It's shame, I wouldn't mind coming here again."

Dante started at her and smiled, she smiled back.

He then drove away.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 5: You might get careless, but you'll never be safe

"HAIYAA!"

"KIAI!"

"HAIYAA!"

Dante decided to dedicate the night to training. He was practicing techniques in his room while listening to the song **Push It To The Limit** by **Paul Engemann**. As he practiced the attacks, going through his mind at each punch and kick that he gives at the bag is Jason's funeral. He heard that his body was finally released and that his parents are making last minute arrangements for the funeral. He was thinking about that while throwing high roundhouse kicks at the bag.

Suddenly, he makes a stop to drink water and decided to check his phone. As soon as he picked up, he saw a message from Betty.

**Betty: We need to talk.**

**Dante: Something wrong?**

**Betty: Meet me at the Blue and Gold tomorrow and I'll explain.**

**Dante: Ok.**

**Dante: Good night.**

**Betty: Good night to you too.**

Dante then put down his phone and went back to practice. He was wondering what did Betty wanted to talk about and if it was something bad. Dante threw spinning heel kicks at the bag several times with that thought in mind.

* * *

The next day came in a heartbeat and Dante got dressed. Today he put on a black long shirt, baggy hip-hop black jeans and black basketball sneakers. He quickly got to school to meet up with Betty. When he got there, he found out that someone actually broke into Kevin's home and stole his father's murder board. Dante, Betty, and Kevin carefully tried reconstruct.

"This is how my dad had his Jason Blossom murder board before it was trashed." Kevin told Dante and Betty.

"Is there any leads on who did that? Or what exactly they were looking for?" Dante asked him while sitting on the table.

"Nope. No fingerprints." Kevin answered. "But they stole a bunch of files, background checks, and all the video and audiotapes of police interviews."

"Hey, Betty..." Their conversation was interrupted by someone entering. "Hey Dante." It was Trev Brown, Valerie's brother. Dante was nothing but an acquaintance with him, mostly because he and Jason used to be a part of the water polo team.

"Hi Trev." Dante greeted him back.

"Sorry to interrupt..." Trev apologized.

"Oh, no... Uh, it's okay." Betty responded. "We're just, uh, working on..."

"Our murder board." Dante bluntly said.

"Well, I just wanted to make sure we're still on for tomorrow?"

"Absolutely, it's a date."

Both Dante and Kevin made very confused looks after hearing what she just said.

"I mean, I'll... I'll see you there. Bye."

"So, I'll see you. Bye."

"So… Bye."

Trev then turns around and leaves the room.

"Going on a date with Trev?" Kevin asked Betty. "Does Mama Cooper know about that?"

"Kev, I'm not on house arrest." She said that but neither Kevin or Dante are convinced. "Okay, she's out of town at a Women in Journalism spa retreat." Now they understood. "Anyway, it's not a "date" date."

"You literally just called it a date." Dante said with his arms crossed.

"That's just my cover." Betty explained. "Really, it's an intelligence gathering mission." Dante just looked at her. "We should focus on the one thing we have access to that your dad doesn't." She told Kevin. "The kids at Riverdale High." She then looks at Dante. "You know, maybe Trev knows something about Jason you don't know."

"Betty, you really think that Jason would tell something to a guy that he did water polo with but not his best friend?" Kevin asked her while pointing at Dante.

"I was about to ask that exact same question." Dante added.

"There were things he didn't tell Cheryl, so there were probably things he didn't tell you, too." Betty explained to him.

"Of that I'm sure, but I don't think he would tell someone like Trev about it either." Dante clarified.

"Maybe not, but it's worth a shot." Betty told him.

"If you say so." Dante said to her. "So tell me, what happened after your mother took you from the Drive-in?"

"She made a exceptionally exaggerated speech about how you and Jason put Polly on a bad path and how you were a terrible influence to her." Betty told him.

"Yeah, encouraging someone to speak their mind and stand up for themselves is a terrible influence indeed." Dante sarcastically said while smiling. "What about you Kev? You didn't mention what exactly happened after I left you alone with the biker."

"Well... It's still new so..." Kevin paused way too much while speaking.

"You hooked up with him didn't you?" Dante quickly spoke.

"Wait, seriously?" Betty asked him. "What's his name?"

"It's Joaquin, and yes we... did hook up." Kevin admitted to them. "Thanks for taking Veronica home by the way." In the end, Dante was the one who had to drive Veronica home since Kevin was nowhere to be seem after the movie ended.

**Ring, Ring, Ring**

Their conversation is interrupted by the bell.

* * *

The class passed by quickly and it wasn't long before the three meet again but this time they were accompanied by Veronica. They all sat down on the bleachers of the football field while eating French fries.

"Betty, you're positively radiating Nicholas Sparks." Veronica said to Betty as they all sit down. "Tell me everything about this Trev."

"Oh, there's nothing to tell." Kevin quickly added. "Just one of Betty's sources, there's nothing romantic in the offing."

"Why is everything weird here?" Veronica asked. "Why can't a date just be a date?"

"This is more of a undercover mission overall." Dante spoke up. "And Trev is probably not her type."

"How do you know what my type is?" Betty asked in a joking matter.

"I used to hang out with your sister a lot, remember." Dante explained. "She mentioned what type of guys you like, or the type of guy you like to be more precise."

Betty's face became a bit sad when he said that.

"Sorry, but would you mind telling me how was he like?" Dante asked. "I keep hearing small details about him but not much."

"About who?" Veronica asked.

"Archie Andrews, he was her neighbor." Dante told Veronica.

"And secret crush since she was four years old." Kevin added.

"Four? I hope that he's at least Latin lover level of attractive to make up for crushing on someone for that long." Veronica quickly spoke in a joking matter.

Dante chuckled a bit before asking. "What was he like?"

"Well... He was a ginger an-" Betty started to say but was quickly interrupted by Dante.

"What?! Is liking ginger's a Cooper trait?" Dante quickly asked. It wasn't even a joke.

"I was asking myself the same thing." Kevin said.

Whatever Betty was going to say next, was interrupted by Cheryl Blossom.

"Sorry to interrupt Sad Breakfast Club, but I'm here to formally invite you to Jason's memorial at Thornhill this weekend." Cheryl announced while delivering invites. "To my surprise and chagrin, mother added you to the guest-list. In case you're tempted to steal our silver candlesticks, don't. We'll be searching bags." She said to Veronica as soon as she gave her invite. Cheryl turns around and walks away.

"Hey, try to remember, she is burying her brother." Betty told her.

But in response Veronica stood up and went after her. Betty just looked as she walked but then she turned her gaze towards Dante who looked sad as he read the invite. "And you're burying your best friend," She told him while putting her hand on his shoulder. "You OK?" She asked him.

Dante takes a deep breath before speaking. "No... No, I'm not." Dante looks down sad.

Betty in response pulls him into a hug. "It's okay." She said into his ear while he rested his head on her shoulder.

* * *

Not long after, class was over and Dante decided to make his way home. There wasn't much to do but wait for Betty to call him. He was hoping that Trev did knew something but it was unlikely.

Dante just sat down and decided to play some video games, he put on the game **Halo 4** on his **Xbox 360**.

He played the game while he waited, he couldn't stop thinking about the funeral. He was frustrated that Polly wasn't there for it and the fact that their son will grow up without a father. Dante could only think of one thing.

"Who did this... and why?"

* * *

Dante ended up falling asleep while he played, the first thing he did when he opened his eyes was check his phone. He saw several messages from Betty.

**Betty: I got it.**

**Betty: Hey, you there?**

**Betty: Dante?**

Dante quickly decided to answer the message.

**Dante: Sorry, fell asleep. Let's meet at school.**

* * *

"Drugs?!"

As soon as Dante got to school and saw Betty. He received the most shocking news about his best friend.

"Why the hell would he sell drugs?" Dante asked in confusion.

"He was running away from his parents." Betty answered.

Dante didn't answered and just stood there thinking about it. Until he came to a conclusion. "What if the person he got the drugs from... Did that to him?"

"Oh my god, is that possible?" Betty asked.

"It makes sense." Dante pointed out. "Fucking hell Jason, what the fuck did you get yourself into?" He walked and sat on the couch besides Betty. "Did you find out anything about Polly?" He asked her.

"I tried to speak with my dad, in a passive way." She explained. "He invented a story about her trying to commit suicide and that it was Jason's fault."

"You know, mama and papa Cooper just keep adding things to the list of what I hate about them." Dante joked which got a chuckle from Betty. "Tomorrow it's Jason's funeral, maybe..."

"Maybe what?"

"Maybe... We could check, I mean his room." Dante started to speak. "Maybe there's something there that could tell us, who's the drug dealer or whoever gave those drugs to him." He told her.

**Ring, Ring, Ring**

"I swear to god that someone is watching us through some camera around here and ringing that bell at the most inconvenient time on purpose." Dante sarcastically said.

"It wouldn't surprise me if that was true." Betty spoke as she stood up from her seat. "See you later."

* * *

Dante was walking towards the Coach's office. He wanted to get something there.

"Excuse me, Coach Clayton." Dante called as he walked in.

The Coach was writing something on a notepad.

"Dante? What are you doing here?" The Coach asked.

"Well... You see, I was wondering if you still got Jason's jersey?" Dante asked him. "I want to give it to his parents at the funeral."

"Oh... Yes, the funeral is tomorrow." The Coach then went to his desk and grabbed the jersey. "I was going to give to his sister... but I know that you two were close, so I'm gonna trust you to give this to his parents." The Coach then handed Dante the jersey. "If you excuse me, I have to talk to with the principal about something." The Coach spoke before walking out of the office in a hurry.

Dante though that whatever he had to talk to the principal it must have been important. He stays there for a little while, staring at the jersey that his best friend used to wear not too long ago. Dante's hand gripped the jersey's hard in anger, he couldn't stop thinking about the whole idea that Jason could have been killed by a drug dealer. The thought that a scum like that hurt his best friend filled him with rage. He then turned around and walk out of the Coach's office. He decides to pass through the locker room, since it was the quickest way to the exit.

As he entered the locker room and walked pass most of the jocks, some of them were staring at him. No doubt remembering the entire event that was his fight against Chuck Clayton.

"Parker, did you miss the smell of the locker room." Reggie Mantle spoke while Dante just ignored him. "I suppose I should thank you, now I got a shot at being captain." He kept speaking but Dante didn't listen. "With both Chuck and Jason gone, it's my time to shine."

"Cool, Reggie Second Best can finally shine at something." Dante rebuffed as he walked. He was in no mood to deal with Reggie.

"The hell did you just say!" Reggie then grabbed Dante's shoulder and turned him around after he said that.

"Oh right sorry, that's not what I meant." Dante answered as his anger just kept boiling inside. "I meant Reggie third- or rather fourth best finally can shine at something that doesn't involve getting beat up by Daddy."

After saying that. Reggie sucker-punched Dante in the eye, nearly knocking him out. But Dante while still a little stunted by the punch, he closed his hand into a very tight fist before delivering an uppercut to Reggie's jaw. As soon as the punch landed, several of the football players held the two of them in order to stop the fight.

* * *

The Football players threw Dante out of the locker room. The first thing he did was get a can of soda from a vending machine to put it on the bruise that he got from Reggie's punch. He sat down a bit while he pressed the cold can on his eye but as he does it, he hears someone approaching him.

It was Veronica.

"What happened?" She asked.

"Reggie and I had a little argument." He replied.

Veronica then takes the can off his eye to see the damage. "Come on Danticho, your eyes are your best features."

"I though it was my magnetic personality." Dante spoke with a smile.

"That's not exactly a physical feature." She said as she pressed the can back on his eye. "You wanna tell me, what this 'Argument' was about?"

Dante takes a deep breath before speaking. "I found out something about Jason and I got angry and... I ended up saying something to Reggie that made him really angry."

"What was that?"

"Reggie fourth best finally can shine at something that doesn't involve getting beat up by Daddy." Dante spoke while looking down.

"Jesus Dante." Veronica spoke in a slightly disappointed tone.

"I know sorry." Dante apologized.

"Listen, I know you're heartbroken for losing you're best friend but lashing out on people won't help you heart heal." Veronica explained.

"I'm not lashing out Veronica, I'm just... I can't accept the fact that someone murdered him and that whoever did it, still out there." Dante said while looking at Veronica's eyes. "And every time I think about it...this rage just comes into me."

Veronica then grabbed Dante's hand and held it tight. "It's alright to be angry, hell you have every single right in the world to be." Veronica started to say to him. "But don't let that rage change you, I never met Jason but I don't think he would want you feeling like that because of him."

"You're probably right." Dante actually thought that she was completely right.

"Of course I'm probably right." She said with a smile before removing the can from his eye and kissing his bruised eye. "No more getting punched in the face, pretty boy." Veronica then stood up. "See you later Danticho." Then she walked away, probably back to practice with the Vixens.

Dante just sat there watching her walk away with a smile.

* * *

As soon as school was done, Dante went for a walk. A very long and nearly endless walk until it was late at night. He was trying to understand what was this whole mess about. Jason selling drugs, Dante knew that he wanted to run away but this is fucked up in so many levels. What really bothered Dante in this situation was that whatever Jason was worried, neither him and Polly told him what it was. He keeps having awful feeling that if he knew what it was wrong, he could have helped in some way. Maybe he could have delivered the drugs for him or anything.

This long walk led him to Pop's where he couldn't help but notice Mr. Andrews arriving in there with his truck. "What is he doing there? The dinner is closed." Dante asked himself and decided to go check to see if he needed any help.

"Mr. Andrews?" Dante called him.

"Dante? What are you doing here?" He asked Dante.

"I was going for a walk and lost the notion of time." Dante told him. "What are you doing here? Is something wrong?"

Before he could answer. Veronica's mother comes out of the dinner. "Thank god you're here." She said to Fred. But the she notices Dante. "Dante?"

"What is going on?" Dante asked in confusion.

She just signalled them to come in. The two did right away and the moment they did, they saw the problem.

"What the?" Dante spoke as he saw a snake in the middle of the shoppe.

* * *

Fred and Dante got rid of the Snake and then went back to Pop's for a explanation to how that thing got there.

"I am here for you, whenever. But why didn't you call the cops or animal control services?" Mr. Andrews asked her.

"It was a message...for me from the Serpents." She spoke. "I didn't call the police because I don't trust them." She said while sitting down. "I don't trust half the people in this damn town." She then looked at Mr. Andrews. "Just you." Then she looked at Dante. "And maybe you now, Danticho."

Dante chuckled a bit. "Veronica told you about that nickname?"

"No, I helped her pick." Hermione said with a smile. "Ummm.. What happened to your eye anyway."

"Reggie Mantle and I got into a little argument but nothing to worry about." Dante assured her. "Ms. Lodge, that man you were speaking at the drive-in, he was a Serpent wasn't he?" Dante decided to ask.

"Yes." She said while nodding.

"Hermione, you gotta tell me why the Serpents..." Mr. Andrews told her.

"It's Hiram." She said her husband and Veronica's father name. "He owes them money."

"How much money?" Mr. Andrews asked.

"Fred. That's between Hiram and the Serpents."

"They're sending venomous animals to you, I don't think it's about just your husband and them anymore." Dante pointed out.

"Listen, thank you two so much for coming here tonight." She thanks them. "But I don't want to get you guys any more involved than you already are."

"Okay, just answer me one last question and I'll stop." Dante spoke. "Who was that Serpent guy at the Drive-in?"

Hermione exhales a bit before speaking. "FP Jones."

Dante instantly recognized that name, Sheriff Keller mentioned that the two were always in bad terms. He also noticed that Fred looked frustrated after hearing that name. "You know him?" Dante asked.

"Him and I were very close friends and he used to work at the Construction as a foreman, before I fired him." Mr. Andrews explained. "Actually, I think you know his son. Jughead Jones."

Dante then realized that this FP was the drunk dad that made Jughead's mom take him and his sister to their grandparents house. That makes sense to Dante now. So Jughead's dad is a Serpent. There was just one more thing that Dante wanted to know. "Sheriff Keller mentioned that him and my Dad were always on bad terms or something like that, do you guys know why?"

Fred and Hermione looked at each other before answering. "You're father used to date a girl and she cheated on him with FP."

"Oh." That was all that Dante said in response. Though it did made sense, his father was a proud person and I don't think he would take someone putting horns on him lightly. "Who was the girl?" He asked in curiosity.

"Alice Cooper." Hermione spoke.

...

...

...

...

...

"WHAT?!" Dante yelled in confusion.

* * *

The rest of the night was awkward to say the least. He just a got a shocking revelation that his father and Betty's mother used to date in school. The entire idea was disturbing to him. Mr. Andrews took him back home after that revelation, Dante went to bed quickly after that but he didn't sleep much.

Soon after, the next day arrived and before Dante knew it. It was time for the Funeral. He got a text from Betty, telling her to meet her at her house.

Dante put on a formal button up shirt, black slacks, black oxford shoes and a black tie. He didn't have a blazer or suit jacket so this will have to be enough. After he finished, he picked up Jason's jersey to give it to his parents.

He got to Betty's house quickly, door was open and her father wasn't around so he made his way to her room. As he got in, he noticed that Betty was just finishing getting dressed.

"Ready to enter the haunted house?" Dante spoke.

She turned around to look at him and smiled when she saw his outfit. "You look nice."

"Best I could do." Dante rebuffed. "I found something out yesterday that shocked me."

She chucked a bit. "What?"

"Did you know your mother used to date my dad?"

...

"WHAT?"

* * *

After a awkward conversation with Betty about their parents' past relationship. The two made their way to Thornhill. Dante has only been there a few times, Jason didn't like to bring him or Polly in his home. He never told them the reason but Dante couldn't help but get a haunted house vibe every time he was there. The coffin was closed, Dante heard someone saying that his body was just too deformed because of the water. Hearing that made him feel sick.

Him, Betty, Veronica and Kevin all sat close to each other while they waited for the rest of the guests to appear. Soon enough, the place was full. Veronica went to check on Cheryl because apparently the two were friends now and she had a sleepover there last night.

Dante saw Jason's mother passing and decided to deliver the jersey.

"Excuse me?" He called her.

She turned around to look at him. "Hello Dante."

"I'm sorry if I'm bothering you, it's just... I thought you might wanna have this." Dante said while handing her the jersey.

"You were never a bother." She quickly spoke. "What happened to your eye?" She asked while touching his bruise.

Everyone started to look at them while she did that. It was always a bit awkward when he was around Mrs. Blossom, it always felt like she was eyeing him or something. He remembered the shocked expression she made when Jason introduced him to her.

"A boy named Reggie punched me, it was my fault, I said something I shouldn't." He explained to her.

"I see." She took the jersey off his hands. "Thank you Dante."

Dante then turned around and went back to his sit besides Betty and Kevin.

"Did she just touch your face?" Kevin asked.

"That was really sweet, what you did." Betty quickly interrupted Kevin's question while touching Dante's shoulder. Dante in response just looked at her and gave a weak smile.

Not long after, Veronica shows up and sits at her sit again. "Days like today really put things in perspective, huh?" She tells them. "I mean, at least we're here. At least we're alive"

"There are fates worse than death Veronica." Dante rebuffed.

"Don't talk like that." Betty said to him.

"You'll get through this." Veronica spoke while holding his hand.

Right after that. Cheryl enters the memorial, wearing the very same white dress that she wore at Sweetwater the same day that Jason supposedly drowned. Cheryl passes her parents, reaching the podium. "Welcome to Thornhill. Thank you all for coming. If you'll kindly take your seats..." She asks everyone to sit so that the eulogy may begin. Everyone does what she says.

"I'd like to start the memorial...with a few words about Jason."

Cheryl's mother was visibly angry and trying to get up but her husband held her. "You're only going to make things worse." Dante heard Veronica say to her.

"The last time I saw Jason, I was wearing this dress. I know it's impossible, but I swear...when I put it on, it feels like he's in the room with me. Though we were twins, I used to demand I have my own birthday one year...out of the blue, Jason convinced me we had to combine them into one. It wasn't until years later I found out it was because no one wanted to come to mine and Jason wanted to protect me every single day. I wish, that day at the river, I had protected him." She starts to sob and walks towards Jason's coffin. "I'm so sorry, Jay-Jay." She puts her hand on the coffin. "We failed you."

Dante couldn't take it anymore and stood up from his seat and walked there. Veronica followed behind him. He puts his hand on Cheryl's shoulder and said. "All of us did." Cheryl then wrapped her Dante into a hug. He was surprised but also returned the hug, Veronica joined seconds later.

* * *

With all being said and done, Mrs. Blossom approaches the podium to adjourn the eulogy. Dante left Cheryl with Veronica and decided to find Betty. He quickly did and the two made their way to Jason's room.

"Is this one?" Betty asked.

"Yeah."

Dante opened the door and the two walked in.

"Is it me, or did the temperature just drop like it does in horror movies?" Betty commented.

"Maybe his ghost is trying to give us a sign." Dante rebuffed the comment which earned him a small smack in the arm from Betty.

Dante then started to look around a bit.

"He was your friend, where do you think he would hide something?" Betty asked.

"Jason would have chosen the most cliché and predicable place possible." Dante explained. "He never had anything serious to hide so he never really had the chance to learn how to get creative at it." Dante checked the drawers. "Under the mattress, maybe in the drawers, behind the headboard or in the closet."

The two then started to search the room but didn't have any luck.

"Hello." They hear someone greet them, which scared them a bit. They take a look and see someone hiding in the shadows. But Dante recognized who it was.

"Mrs. Rose." Dante spoke. "It's Jason's grandmother." He whispered in Betty's ear.

She comes out of the shadows in her wheelchair. "Oh, Dante." She said to him. "How lovely to see you again."

Dante got closer and kneeled down. "I'm sorry, I was just checking if..."

"Oh, since you're here, Jason left something for you." She told him. "Under the bed."

Dante looked at Betty, who in response went to check under Jason's bed to see what it was. She finds a small package in there.

"He asked me to tell you if you ever came back here." She spoke gently. "I told him that my head wasn't what it used to be, but he insisted that I should remember because he couldn't trust Cheryl with that."

Dante walked towards Betty and picked up the package. He put it on top of the bed and open it.

To his shock, there was a jacket inside. A varsity jacket that looked similar to the one that Jason used to wear but this one was different. It was completely black. Dante then saw a note on top of it and decided to open it.

_Dear Dante:_

_If you're reading this, it means that you came back to Thornhill._

_I just have one question for you._

_Why the hell would you come back here? _

_But since you did._

_Happy Birthday!_

_Or_

_Happy Almost Birthday!_

_Whatever it is, I got this for you._

_A completely custom Varsity Jacket with your signature color._

_I give this to you as a thank you for being the best friend a guy could ask for._

_I hope we see each other again soon, or at least talk again._

_But if we don't._

_Just know this._

_It was a honor meeting_ you

_Dark Gentleman._

As soon as Dante finished reading that letter. He tried to resist but the tears just kept coming out of his eyes. It wasn't long before he started to cry. Betty saw and quickly hugged him. Dante rested his head on Betty's shoulder and his tears started to wet her jacket.

"Oh, you're here as well Polly." Jason's grandmother said as she saw Betty hugging Dante.

"She... She's not Polly, this is her sister Betty." Dante explained as he separated from Betty and wiped the tears off his eyes.

"Oh... So you and Jason decided to look for love in the same place."

"Wha-" Dante choked a bit after hearing that.

Betty looked at him awkwardly. "No...No, no. We're just friends."

"Oh... What a shame." She told the two of them. "Polly lost the love of her young life and you can't seem to find yours." She spoke about Polly and then about Dante.

Dante picks up the jacket and the letter. Then she told Jason's grandmother. "It was nice seeing you, but we have to go now."

* * *

The rest of the day passed like a bullet. Dante just lay on his bed since he read that letter. There was no clue in the room, or maybe there was and he was too much of a damn idiot to pay attention. There was only one way to get to the bottom of this mess.

* * *

"Dan... I feel like I don't even know who my mom and dad are anymore."

The moment Dante met Betty the next day. She told him a story that her father told her as soon as they left the funeral. That the Blossom clan came fairly close to destroying their family. Cheryl's great-grandfather murdered Betty's great-grandfather out of greed and hate. They were business partners in selling and trading maple syrup, but one day, Cheryl's great-grandfather decided that he no longer wanted to share the profits, so he murdered Betty's great-grandfather. The Blossoms stole their livelihood.

The moment Dante heard that story. He was angry. So this entire mess was due to some bullshit that happened god knows how long ago? Dante founded the entire story to be ridiculous. Unfortunately that made Dante think something, and he was hoping to be wrong.

"Your dad said he would do anything to protect Polly." Dante mentioned to her. "Betty...how far would he go to protect her?"

"Dante... whoever broke into Sheriff Keller's house and stole all his evidence wasn't at the drive-in." Dante just looked at her in response. "My dad wasn't at the drive-in." She then writes on a sticky note and put the name of her family on the murder board.

"Betty... We need to find Polly."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 6: _If love is what you need_. A _soldier I will be._

"How the hell did I end up in here?" Dante asked himself as he was in possibly the most awkward situation ever.

Before Dante went to bed, the day before. Betty messaged him, inviting him for breakfast in her house. Dante accepted. But he thought that Mama Cooper hadn't come back from her trip yet. He was wrong.

At the moment, he was sitting down at the dinner table of the Cooper's home, eating pancakes with Betty and Alice Cooper. Why did Betty invited him, knowing that her mother hated him? It was a question that Dante was asking himself as he ate. Although he ate slowly because he was having an exceptionally dark idea that Alice put poison on his food.

"So, Dante..." Alice started to talk. "I suppose we have you to thank for Betty's ongoing obsession with this Jason Blossom ghoulishness?"

"Actually, Mom, I was the one who asked Dan to help me write it for the Blue and Gold." Betty quickly spoke back.

"Dan? Are you two using nicknames now?" Alice spoke, making a very poor job in hiding her annoyance.

Betty started to call him Dan after Jason's funeral. Dante said that it was okay, since Veronica kept calling him Danticho. So it was fair that Betty called him something else as well. Dan was not even a nickname, it was just short for Dante.

She then signalled him. While Alice was finishing breakfast, Betty told him to distract her while she checked her purse.

"Can I use the bathroom?" Dante asked.

"Sure, I'll show you." Betty said

"No, no. I'll show him." Alice was quick to say.

Dante stood up and followed Alice towards the bathroom, leaving Betty alone. As Dante followed Alice, he was just hoping that Betty manages to find anything.

"What do you think you're doing?" Alice asked.

"What do you mean?" Dante replied with his arms folded.

"Didn't I tell you to stay away from Betty."

"You did? I don't remember." Dante said with a smile. "Besides, it's Betty that keeps coming to me."

"Do I look an idiot to you?"

Dante stayed quiet for a bit. "Do you really want me to answer?" Dante spoke up after a short silence.

"Listen you little-"

"Dante, we're gonna be late." Betty showed up at the corridor and called him.

"It was nice talking to you, Mrs. Cooper." He said while waving at her as he walks towards Betty

* * *

Betty and Dante made their way to school as soon as they left the house. They had a normal day and decided to check what Betty has found after the first class. Strangely enough, the teacher of Betty and Dante made their way to school as soon as they left the house. They had a normal day and decided to check what Betty has found after the first class. Strangely enough, the teacher of Dante's first class was absent. So he decided to help Kevin.

"What exactly are we doing?" Dante asked.

"We're checking whether the talent is worthy of being on the Variety Show." Kevin replied.

"So… we're either crushing someone's self-esteem by telling that they suck, or glorifying it by telling that they're okay." Dante commented.

"Pretty much."

For the next hour, Dante and Kevin kept watching and judging the auditions. Dante was somewhat more open-minded than Kevin as he did found a few of the unusual talents to be interesting. Dante was a bit annoyed by some of the Jocks sitting in the back, as they were either mocking or making fun of the ones auditioning.

Suddenly, Dante feels someone touching his shoulder. He turns his face to see Veronica.

"Having fun?" Veronica asked them with a smile.

"Yeah, crushing people's hopes and dreams is very fun." Dante spoke with a bit of sarcasm in his voice.

"It's not like, they needed us for that to happen." Kevin commented while writing things down.

"Are we finished? I need to help Betty with something." Dante asked.

"Well, unless Veronica wants to try out, then yes." Kevin spoke.

Dante then looks at Veronica and smiles. "So Ronnie, do you have any talent that we don't know about?"

"Well... If a certain green eyed pretty boy, who I heard from our friend Valerie, can play guitar and sing would climb on stage with me." Veronica spoke with a not so subtle invitation.

"Umm... not that I wouldn't enjoy it, I didn't bring my guitar." Dante made an excuse.

"There's a spare one behind the curtain." Kevin added which made Dante want to punch him.

"No excuses now, so what do you say." She extends her hand. "What do you say, Danticho? Be the Jay to my Bey?"

Dante though about it for a second as he didn't really wanted to be on stage but at the same time, he really didn't want to say no to Veronica. After a split second, he decided to accept.

"Alright," He spoke after he grabbed her hand.

Then the two of them went behind the curtain and Dante grabbed the spare guitar that Kevin mentioned. Apparently there was a bunch of spare instruments from the music room for whoever needs to use it.

"Umm... what music do you want to play?" Dante asked. "Cause my range is kinda of limited."

"What song can you play best?" Veronica asked.

"Ummm... Mad World." Dante answered. He learned after he saw Donnie Darko.

"Perfect." She said before grabbing his hand and walking out to the stage. "Just follow my lead."

"Well... Veronica Lodge and Dante Parker." Kevin announced them.

Dante gives a thumbs up to him before playing. He starts to play a guitar solo of the song Mad World, he started to sing not before long.

**All around me are familiar faces**

**Worn out places, worn out faces**

**Bright and early for their daily races**

Suddenly Veronica started to sing alongside him and their voices fit very well together.

**Going nowhere, going nowhere**

**Their tears are filling up their glasses**

**No expression, no expression**

**Hide my head, I want to drown my sorrow**

**No tomorrow, no tomorrow**

**And I find it kinda funny, I find it kinda sad**

**The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had**

**I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take**

**When people run in circles it's a very very**

**Mad world, mad world**

**Children waiting for the day, they feel good**

**Happy birthday, happy birthday**

**Made to feel the way that every child should**

**Sit and listen, sit and listen**

**Went to school and I was very nervous**

**No one knew me, no one knew me**

**Hello teacher, tell me what's my lesson**

**Look right through me, look right through me**

**And I find it kinda funny, I find it kinda sad**

**The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had**

**I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take**

**When people run in circles it's a very very**

**Mad world, mad world**

**Enlarge your world**

**Mad world**

* * *

After the Auditions, Dante went to the Blue and Gold to check what Betty has found. Apparently, she took a photo of her mother's check book, one check in particular stood out.

"The Sisters of Quiet Mercy." Betty spoke out loud and Dante searched on the computer. "What is that, like a church? Or a charity?"

Dante unfortunately found out what it was. "No, it's a 'home for troubled youths.'" Dante told her. "Where disenfranchised teens will learn such virtues as discipline and respect...enjoying lives of quiet reflection and servitude."

"Poor Polly." Betty said.

Dante then picks up his phone and writes down the address in it. Then they heard the bell ringing and decided to speak while lunching..

* * *

Both Dante and Betty gather at lunch.

"It's been months, I need to know if Polly and her baby are okay." Betty spoke.

"Look, we need to get there as soon as we can." Dante told her. "I don't know what the hell your parents are planning to do with her but we can't let it happen."

Soon enough, they are joined by Kevin and Veronica.

"So… you're a dark James Dean, a Karate kid and a guitarist?" Kevin asked.

"What?" Dante asked.

"Kevin was impressed by your singing abilities after our audition." Veronica added.

"Audition? I didn't know you two could sing?" Betty asked.

"Like a nightingale." Veronica spoke. "And Dante sings like a rugged rockstar."

Betty then looked at Dante. "Really?"

"I wouldn't describe like that but..." Dante spoke as he eat potato chips.

"Well, since Dante left before I could announce… You two are in." Kevin told them.

Dante then looked at Kevin with a dumbfounded look. "Wait, wait, wait. I'm not participating, I was just helping Veronica."

Veronica didn't seemed fazed by that. "Really Danticho? Are you going leave a girl hanging like that?"

"No... it's just..." Dante didn't know what to say. "I'm not exactly that good of a guitarist or singer."

"Which means, we will have to practice a lot then." Veronica spoke with a smile. "Maybe get started after class."

Dante stayed quiet for a bit. "I don't have a choice do I?"

"Nope."

"No."

"Probably not."

Veronica, Kevin and Betty told him.

* * *

Dante and Betty agreed that they would go to this home for troubled youths, where her parents hide Polly on a day off school.

Dante and Betty agreed that they would go to this home for troubled youths, where her parents hide Polly on a day off school.

Right now Dante was walking with Veronica. Dante was cursing himself for getting himself into singing on the Variety Show with Veronica. Not that he didn't enjoy singing with her. But he wasn't liking the idea of singing in front of the whole school.

He was following her to Andrews construction where she was visiting her mother on the first day on the new job that Mr. Andrews gave her.

"You know... I don't think I ever saw your parents." Veronica spoke as they walked.

"I already told you that my dad is doing some Marine work somewhere." Dante replied.

"Yeah but... what about your mom?" Veronica asked.

"What about her?" Dante spoke in a strange hostile tone.

"Ummm... I don't know, where is she?" Veronica was a bit surprised by his tone.

"Your guest is as good as mine." Dante replied with the same tone.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Veronica asked.

"It means that, I don't know or care where she is." Dante answered while looking at her.

Veronica was about to ask him something but before she could do it. She saw something. Dante moves his gaze to see what it was and sees Mr. Andrews and Veronica's mom kissing through the window.

"Ummm... Ronnie?" Dante tried to talk to her.

"I'll talk to you later." Veronica told him in a low voice before turning around and leave.

Dante didn't know what to say, so he decided to warn her mother on what just happened. He walks towards Mr. Andrews office and knocks on the door.

The doors opens revealing Mr. Andrews. "Dante? What are-"

"Hi Mr. Andrews, ummm Mrs. Lodge." Dante greeted him then called Veronica's mother who was behind him. "Veronica just saw the two of you kissing and left."

"What?!" She asked before walking out of the door. "Sorry Fred, I have to talk to her."

"It's okay, go." Mr. Andrews told her and she left right away.

Dante then turned to him as she left. "Sorry about this, Veronica wanted to visit her mom on the first day."

"It's alright, you don't have to explain anything." He was quick to assure him.

"Anyway, how's things around here?" Dante asked.

"Well... to be honest-"

* * *

Mr. Andrews invited Dante inside for a Coffee and explained him the situation. It turns out that Fred only has enough money in the bank to pay his guys for two more weeks, he would be putting his business at risk if he doesn't fire some people, but he explained to Dante that he is waiting to hear about the bid for the new development where the Twilight Drive-In used to be, in which the construction for could put him back in the black. However, he doesn't know who the buyer is, but since Mayor McCoy is handling all the arrangements for the buyer, he figured he'd present her with the bid, and he asked for Hermione to be his co-host, to which she agreed. Hermione also offered to have the dinner at her place, since it's nicer.

"Oh, that's good... I hope things work out, a lot of guys here need this job." Dante met some of them when he worked there during summer.

"Yeah, me too." Mr. Andrews replied. "You and Hermione's daughter?"

"We're going to perform on the Variety Show together." Dante explained. "She kinda forced me to be her partner."

"I guess she got that from her parents, Hermione and Hiram were always good at convincing people." Mr. Andrews said as he sipped a cup of coffee.

"You know her father?"

"Yes, Hiram Lodge." He spoke. "Although I never really interact with him, him and your father knew each other well."

"Wait... they were friends?" Dante asked. As he was getting really tired of getting information about his father from other people.

"Oh no, no, no. They were definitely not friends." Mr. Andrews assured him as he finished his coffee. "They were... rivals of sorts."

"Rivals?" Dante asked with a confused look.

"Well... more of a one sided rivalry." Mr. Andrews stood up from his chair and refilled his coffee. "Hiram was constantly trying to compete against your father in everything, no matter what it was, Hiram would turn into a competition. Your father never cared about it but Hiram acted like beating your father was some type of life purpose. Like when the two were in the wrestling team back in high school, Hiram was constantly trying to sabotage your father so he wouldn't win." He finished explaining. "I think even his marriage with Hermione is a result of that."

"Excuse me?" Now Dante was even more confused.

"Virgil and Hermione actually dated for a while." Mr. Andrews explained.

Dante didn't know whether he should be surprised or not. He only knows that his father really has a lot of explaining to do. "I think after hearing about his relationship with Alice Cooper, I can't get any more surprised."

"I don't blame you." Mr. Andrews replied. "They started to go out a month after his break up with Alice, it didn't last long." He explained. "But as soon as they were over, Hiram made a move on her."

"That's actually a little disturbing." Dante replied.

"Yeah... Since you and Veronica are in a forced partnership, would you like to come to the dinner?" He invited him.

"Ummm... Isn't this a business meeting?" Dante asked. "Should me and Veronica be present?"

"Mayor McCoy will bring her daughter and husband, so I thought it would be good for you and Veronica to be present." He explained.

"I don't know about Veronica but... If I can be of any help, then I'll be there." Dante answered.

"Thanks Dante."."

* * *

"After leaving the construction, Dante went back home and spend the rest of the day practicing on his guitar for the Variety Show. He decided to give some time for Veronica to process the situation tAfter leaving the construction site, Dante went back home and spend the rest of the day practicing on his guitar for the Variety Show. He decided to give some time for Veronica to process the situation that she was in.

Suddenly he hears his phone ringing. He picks up right away.

"Hello"

"Hey Dan."

"Hi Betty."

"Look... can we go tomorrow?"

"Why the hurry? Is something wrong?"

"No, it's just... I need to see my sister."

"Alright, alright, Tomorrow it is then."

"Thanks Dan."

"You know... every time you call me Dan I end up thinking about Fatal Attraction."

"Wait what? Why?"

"Well..."

For the next hour Dante and Betty started to have a funny conversation about the name Dan.

* * *

The next day came quickly, which Dante was spending the majority of the day trying to find Veronica. Luckily he found her in the student lounge sitting on a couch.

"Hey." He greeted her. He sits beside her. "What are you doing?"

"Hey Danticho, I'm just deciding which song we should play in the show." She said to him in return but Dante noticed that something was wrong.

"Ronnie, talk to me." Dante said while grabbing her hand.

She looks at him with her brown eyes before speaking. "It's just what happens when my dad comes home?"

"I don't know... no one does, the only thing I know is that... some people search for love where they can find it." Dante told her.

"They're married. To other people." Veronica added.

"So? Both marriages aren't exactly ideal at the moment." Dante explained.

"So… what, the marriage has a crisis, so it's okay to cheat? Veronica asked in a slightly hostile tone.

"Probably not... I don't know, I only met people with shitty marriages." Dante pointed out.

"Come on, now you're exaggerating." Veronica said.

"Not really, back in Detroit I only knew two married couples. One, was a couple where both cheated on each other. Other, the wife was a secret junkie." Dante explained.

"Damn, are you serious?" She asked with a disgusted look.

"Yup."

Veronica sights a bit. "You know what, let's change the subject. I've got a lot of aggression that needs channelling into something positive." Veronica stands up and extends her hand for Dante to take it.

* * *

After spending most of lunch practicing with Veronica. Soon enough it was time to leave school and finally get to the bottom of it. It was time for Dante and Betty to finally find Polly.

As soon as they left school, they took a bus that led to the address that Dante wrote down. Soon enough, they were both in front of their destination.

"This place looks like the scenario of a vengeful ghost story where everyone dies in the ending." That was all that Dante could say about the place.

Betty quickly went ahead while Dante followed behind her. The two quickly got inside and went to the front desk. " Hi, my name is Elizabeth Cooper. I'm here to see my sister Polly." Betty told the woman in the front desk. Dante was looking around the place and it looked like an insane asylum to him.

"May I see some identification?"

"Yeah."

"Sign in here, you'll have to wait." The moment she said that. Dante turned around and the woman saw his face. "Charles?" The woman called him.

"Who?" Dante asked in confusion after being called that.

"Oh, sorry. You look like someone who used to live here." The woman told him. "Polly's room is right this way. Though right now it's silent reflection time and she usually spends that time in the Garden of Deliverance." She signalled Betty to follow her.

Leaving Dante alone in the insane asylum looking place. The only problem is that Dante wasn't in the mood to wait so he decided to find another way to this Garden of Deliverance which sounds like some cursed place than a peaceful place.

Dante made his way to the front door. And looked for a way to get on the back of the building. Luckily he saw a tree that was high enough for him to climb through on of the walls, as he saw what was the other, he could the place was peaceful enough to have lame name. Dante jumped over the wall and landed on the ground.

As he walked around trying not to be seen by the other nuns or whatever they were. Dante sees Betty and the woman who called him Charles from afar. He also sees a familiar figure from afar as well. There Polly was, picking flowers.

Soon enough the woman turns around and leaves Betty. Then she approached her. Dante then approached Betty.

"Hey."

Betty got startled before she turned around to see him. "How did you got here?"

"Wall." He answered before pointing at the direction that he came from. "And I just didn't want to wait." He moved his gaze to Polly.

"Come on."

Betty grabbed his hand the two approached her. She was just there, touching a rose on the garden.

"Polly?" The moment she heard her name, Polly turned around and sae Dante and Betty standing there.

She smiled before running towards them. "Betty." She said as she hugged her. "Dante." She then wrapped her arms around him.

"Hey..." Dante said in a low voice before returning the hug. When the two separated, he saw her growing belly and he touched it. "How's my godson or goddaughter?"

"Much better now." She replied.

Betty then got closer as well and touched her belly.

"Please be happy for me, Betty." She told her.

"I am, Polly." Betty assured her while touching her shoulders. " I'm just... I'm so sorry I didn't come sooner. I should've, but Mom and Dad, they stopped-"

"No. What'd they tell you? That I was on drugs? Alcohol?"

"They said you were sick. And you tried to hurt yourself."

"And they told me you didn't want to come and see me, which I knew was a lie."

"Why did they lock you up in here anyway? What the hell are they planning?" Dante finally interrupted the sisters reunion to ask his own questions.

"Because they couldn't control me, Dante." She told him. "I was ready to leave, on July 4th, I woke up, packed a bag, and I went downstairs to start my new life... But Mom and Dad found out about everything."

"Polly, what the hell happened?" Dante asked.

"I went downstairs, there was a woman I didn't know sitting at the kitchen table drinking tea, with two men behind her." Polly explained.

"Oh my god." Betty spoke.

Dante touched his forehead in frustration after hearing that.

"They threw me in the back of a van. I was screaming. I don't think I stopped screaming until I got here in this place." She finished explaining.

"What the fuck." That was all that Dante said.

"Dante, Have you talked to him? Does he know that I'm here?" She asked Dante. Who's only response was to look at her confused.

"Who?" Dante asked.

"Jason. That's how you found out that I didn't leave with him, right?" Polly spoke up which Dante made a worried face.

"You gotta to be fucking kidding me." Dante thought as he just figured out that Polly doesn't know that Jason is dead. He looks at Betty not knowing what to say.

"Polly, Jason-" She tried to tell her but Polly interrupted.

"What does he think happened? He knows I'm here because of Mom and Dad, right?" She kept talking.

"Polly, you don't understand-" Betty kept trying to talk.

"I can fix this Betty. I know I can." She stars to mumble something. " You just have to help me get out of here. And then I'll go to meet him. Dante left a car, on the lost highway off of Route 4. I'm packed. We're packed. We'll go to the farm, like we planned."

"Polly, stop." Betty interrupted her.

"What's the matter, Betty?" She asked. "Dante?" She stared at him. "What is going on?"

Dante takes a deep breath before speaking. "Polly... Jason is ..." He tried to say but he stopped in the middle.

"What, did something happen to him?" She asked in near desperate tone.

Dante then looked down a bit. "When I heard...about your parents sending you away... I went to check the car... it was still in the exact same spot I left. ... Jason never made it to it."

"D-Dante... W-w-what's that supposed to mean? " Polly asked in a terrified face that was near unbearable for Dante.

"Polly... Jason is dead." He decided to be direct.

" Oh, my God." Polly then started to sob and Betty quickly hugged her. "He's... He's... He's..." Dante then also joined the hug. "Oh, my God, I knew it!"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Polly." Betty told her as she sobbed on her shoulder.

Suddenly, they're attempt to comfort her was interrupted. "Come with me, you two. Now." The same woman from the reception called them..

* * *

Dante and Betty sat down for a while waiting for whatever the hell was going to happen next. The two of them stayed quiet as they were digesting what they just found out. Then suddenly like a storm, a dark thought came into Dante's mind.

"Oh shit." Dante spoke out loud.

"What is it?" Betty asked.

"Betty. .. I think your parents are just keeping Polly here until the baby is born." Dante pointed out. "But what happens after."

Betty then figure it out what Dante means. "You don't think they-"

Suddenly the door of the room opens revealing Alice Cooper.

"Oh great, now this goddamned is complete." Dante thought as he sees Alice.

"Mom? What are you doing here?" Betty asked.

"I pay the sisters good money. You think they don't notify me if Polly gets a visitor?" She replied turning to Dante. "And you. What you did was trespassing , I could tell them that you were harassing my daughter and have them call the police on you." She spoke as bitterly as always.

"Please do, I'm gonna love using my telephone call to tell the Blossoms what you plan on doing with their grandchild." Dante spoke back just as bitterly.

"You don't know anything." She spoke in a hostile tone.

"Oh please, 'Jason made her sick' you were talking about the baby. I know exactly what you're planning to do." Dante retorted while repeating what Hal told Betty.

"No, it wasn't just Jason, it was you as well." Alice spoke in his face. Before turning around and grabbing Betty's hand dragging her out of the room. Dante followed them, but while they were on the corridor.

Polly appeared. " Mom?"

"Polly." Alice replied.

"Jason's dead? And you didn't tell me? And you kept me in here?" Polly spoke while sobbing.

"Baby, it's for your own good." Alice spoke in return.

"No! You always say that! It's not true!" Polly yelled before two orderlies tried to drag her away.

Dante and Betty tried to help her but one of the orderlies held Dante back, he could have easily knocked him out but he was already in trouble for the trespassing and he decided that it would be better not to do it. There was no way to help Polly in that moment.

"No, Betty!" Polly yelled as Betty managed to get pass the orderlies and reach Polly.

"I'm gonna get you out of here, I swear to god." Betty tells her. "I love you, Polly."

"No! No!" All that both Betty and Dante could do was watch as the Orderlies drag Polly away she screamed desperately trying to break free of them.

* * *

To Dante Parker, this day just kept finding ways to get worse. He just had to break the news to one of his best friends that she's going to give birth to a fatherless child. Then her crazy control freak of a mother drag his other best friend away, leaving him there without a way to get home.

He had to walk for hours until he got back home. And to make matters worse, he receives a call reminding him of the dinner that he was invited to. He really wanted to give an excuse to not go to it after this mess of a day. But he could really use spending some time with Veronica. So he decided to go.

He put on a black T-shirt, black slacks and black Oxford shoes.

He got to the Pembroke quickly enough after that and was impressed by how fancy it was. It was the first time that he went there, it looked like a rich girl's home. He didn't see Veronica anywhere, when he asked Mrs. Lodge about her. She told him that Veronica was at Pop's with Kevin. Which made Dante very frustrated and regretting not making up an excuse to no attend this dinner.

It wasn't long before he was sitting down on the dinner table with the McCoys, Mr. Andrews and Mrs. Lodge in a very awkward dinner that he really wish that he hadn't attended.

While eating, Dante noticed that Josie and Mayor McCoy made some confused looks at him. Probably asking themselves what was he doing in there? Since Dante wasn't in the mood for a conversation, he decided to stay quiet. Although he had one question, which was for Josie's father. Dante never liked Josie very much because of her diva attitude, but this might be his only opportunity to ask.

"Ummm... Mr. McCoy, do you mind if I ask you a question?" Dante finally spoke up as he was quiet the whole dinner.

"No, ask away." He replies as he sipped a glass of wine.

"Have you... ever struggled with the art vs commerce aspect of being a musician?" Dante was wondering, he was music listener and he often wonders the meaning behind the songs, usually they have a personal story like that.

"All the time, you mostly have difficulty when it comes to the type of music that you want to play against the type they want you to play." He explained to Dante.

"They? You mean the public or the record company?" Dante asked.

"Both actually." Mr. McCoy spoke.

"I see, well I'm not a musician but... It must takes a lot more than talent to be a professional," Dante made a comment.

"It does take a lot, it's not just about talent. It about determination and focus, just as much as it is about talent." Mr. McCoy talked in a passionate matter. "Do you play?"

"Guitar, but... I'm average. Josie plays way better than me." Dante answered while pointing at Josie.

"Don't sell yourself short, everyone starts out as average. It's all a matter of practice, Josephine was a disaster when she picked the guitar for the first time."

"Wait, Josephine?" Dante asked Josie. "That's your full name?"

"After Josephine Baker." Mr. McCoy said.

"Oh."

"You have no idea who that is, do you?"

"I do, Josephine Baker was a Vidette, singer, dancer, actress, civil rights activist and French Resistance agent." Dante explained. "Or are we talking about another Josephine Baker?"

"No, precisely that one." Mr. McCoy seemed pleased that Dante knew who it was.

"Fred? You wanna get started on that presentation?" Mayor McCoy spoke.

"Yeah." He replied.

"Well... if you're going to start on the presentation, I'm going to call it a night." Dante spoke as he stood up from the dinner table.

"You don't have go now Danticho." Mrs. Lodge told him.

"I know but, I had a long day and I really need to get some sleep." Dante replied. "Thanks for inviting me for dinner and thank you for answering my questions Mr. McCoy."

"Call me Myles, and it was no problem." The two shake hands. "Are you going to the Variety Show? " He asked.

"I'm actually playing on the show with Mrs. Lodge 's daughter Veronica." Dante explained.

"Oh good, I can see if you're just average with the guitar as you claim you are." He joked to Dante.

"Ouch, and I thought I couldn't get any more nervous than I already am. A professional Jazz player is gonna watch me play guitar." Dante joked in return.

"Nervousness is good thing, it helps you be more prepared." He told him.

* * *

As soon as he left the Pembroke, Dante went straight back home and quickly went to sleep. Unfortunately sleep didn't last long as he woke up as soon as the sun came up. He couldn't stop thinking about Polly and this entire mess.

Not just the fact that whoever killed Jason was still out there but also the fact that Polly's parents are probably planning on getting rid of the baby as soon as it is born. He read that The Sisters of Quiet Mercy, aren't just a "home for troubled youths. They're also an Orphanage. They're probably planning to give the baby up for adoption.

**Beep, Beep, Beep**

Dante got up from his bed, but decided not to eat breakfast or anything, he picked up his skateboard and went straight to Betty's house. He got there but rather than knocking on her door, he knocked on Mr. Andrews's door and asked if he had a climbing ladder. He made confused look but ultimately leant him the ladder.

Dante the use to climb into Betty's window.

He tapped on it and she opens it.

"Hey there, princess." Dante greeted her. "Is the witch around?"

She just smiled at that before letting him enter through the window.

"They're crazy. My parents are crazy." That was the first thing she said to me.

"Yeah, I kinda of already knew that for some time now." Dante commented.

"No, but what if... What if Polly is, too?" Betty asked.

"Betty, Polly literally found out that the man she was going to marry was murdered." Dante pointed out.

"Yeah but, the way she was talking to us, the way she looked at us... And now, all I can think is," She kept on speaking. "Maybe I'm crazy like they are."

"Betty, listen to me." Dante puts his hands on her cheeks. "This whole mess sucks, and it will suck for a long time. But we can't allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by it, because we're not gonna be able to help Polly if we do." Dante explained to her.

Betty sights and takes a deep breath. "You're right."

Dante the gives a kiss on her forehead before walking to the window. "Look, we will find a way to get Polly out of there. I have to go now, I have to rehearse the song with Veronica for the show."

"Okay, I'll be there." She tells him.

"Cool." That was the last thing he said before descending the stairs.

* * *

Soon enough, it was time for Variety Show, which Dante was very nervous for it. Currently him and Veronica were watching the Pussycats perform. They were singing a song called** I Feel Love **by **Donna Summer.** Dante really liked their outfits for the presentation.

"They're really good." Dante commented to Veronica.

"Yes,they are." She replied.

The end of their songs arrives and the public cheered loudly for them.

"You're ready Danticho?" She asked him.

"No." Dante spoke with a smile.

_"Here's Dante Parker and Veronica Lodge!"_ Kevin announced them.

The two made their way to the stage hearing claps from the audience.

Soon enough, Dante started to play his guitar. The music that they choose was an old song that Dante heard as a kid. Veronica though that this song would fit Dante's voice after he showed her the lyrics.

**When I have nowhere else to go**

Dante sang in a loud voice.

**And in my sky there are no more stars**

Veronica then joined him like last time.

**Where did courage go?**

**'I'm tired but I won't give up**

**But I can see a light at the end**

**Does anyone still look after me?**

**Don't judge me for not being equal**

Suddenly Dante and Veronica noticed the rest of the school clapping alongside the song like it was a big drum.

**I carry the truth here in my eyes, in my eyes**

**I just pray to be fine**

**I know it will**

**I believe everything will be okay**

**And just pray to be well**

**I know it will**

**I believe everything will be okay**

**God only knows how I ran**

**And what I did to get here**

**This world is no longer mine**

**I don't surrender nor surrender**

**But I can see a light at the end**

**Does anyone still look after me?**

**Don't judge me for not being equal**

**I carry the truth here in my eyes, in my eyes**

**I just pray to be fine**

**I know it will**

**I believe everything will be okay**

**And just pray to be well**

**I know it will**

**I believe everything will be okay**

**I just want to be what I am**

**I just wanna not have to lie**

**Because I still haven't found what I'm looking for**

**I just want to be what I am**

**I just wanna not have to lie**

**I haven't found it yet, I haven't found it yet**

Dante then did a guitar solo. Which was enough prof to most that he was definitely not average with that guitar.

**I just pray to be alright (to be alright)**

**I pray to be well (I pray to be well)**

**I pray to be well (I pray to be well)**

After they finished singing, both received cheering and applauding ftom the Audience. Which the two just smiled at it.

* * *

Soon after their performance, Veronica went looking for her mother and Dante went looking for Betty.

But he ended up bumping into Mr. McCoy.

"Hello Dante."

"Oh, Hello Mr. McCoy." Dante greeted him and shake his hand. "Hope you like the show."

"Some parts, but I must say. You and that girl were definitely the highlight of it." He commented.

"Oh, don't let Josie hear that, because she might get mad at me." Dante joked.

"Josephine and the Pussycats's performance left something to be desired. There was a lack of integrity, at least from Josephine's part." He bluntly spoke about his daughter.

"Some people get nervous when doing something in front of her father." Dante tried to argue.

"That's no excuse. You never performed before and yet there was more integrity coming from you than her." He kept on speaking. "I need go now." He picked something from his jacket. "If you ever plan on playing professionally, give ne call."

"Wow, thanks Mr. McCoy." Dante took a card from him, and put it on his pocket.

Mr. McCoy then turned around and walked towards the exit.

Dante then turned around and noticed Mayor McCoy and Josie staring at him, Josie had tears in her eyes. Dante is almost sure thar she heard everything. She walks away crying and Mayor McCoy runs after her.

Dante decided not to get involved on this family matter and went back on looking for Betty. Luckily, he found her quickly. But she was on her phone with a very worried face.

"Betty? What is it?" Dante asked.

She turns to him and looks at him in the eyes. "Dan, Polly ran away from the Sisters of Quiet Mercy."

"WHAT?!" Dante yelled in deep confusion.


End file.
